


Within the Wards

by Aneiria



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Hurt/Comfort, Resistance, Romance, Smut, Wartime, background Theo / Blaise, dramione - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:27:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 22,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23122462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aneiria/pseuds/Aneiria
Summary: Draco reached over the tabletop and took her hand in his. She didn’t look back at him, but she also didn’t pull her hand away in disgust.‘Truth is, Granger,’ Draco admitted, looking at her even as she avoided his gaze. ‘I love you, too.’Last words can often be unexpected, but Hermione Granger had never imagined that hers would lead her to Draco Malfoy’s side. It soon becomes clear that the bigger challenge would be staying there…
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott/Blaise Zabini
Comments: 98
Kudos: 380





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first multi-chap fic, I really hope you enjoy it! It’s mainly all written, just being edited and polished, and I’ll be posting every Friday. I expect it to come in at around ten chapters with an epilogue. It’s definitely not a slow burn, we’re diving right in there with the feelings, but the smut will be a bit slower coming… if you’ll pardon the pun. Thanks as ever for reading!

HE HAD NEVER allowed himself to think there was any chance she’d feel the same way about him as he did her. How could she? But that hadn’t mattered. He’d be there anyway, to protect her from the flames, to catch her if she fell. Even if she never knew it was him.

But now, this fateful day at Malfoy Manor, he had failed her. He couldn’t protect her, couldn’t stop the flames. He’d tried to deny knowing who she was, who they all were, but the sudden horror of having them in his house had shocked him.

His Occlumency had wavered and he hadn’t been convincing enough. And now she was paying for his lapse, lying on the floor of his drawing room, his mother’s sister pinning her down as she writhed in pain.

Draco Malfoy flinched from his position in front of the ornate fireplace as Bellatrix started carving into Hermione’s flesh with a blade, causing his mother to flash him a warning look. Draco took a deep breath and focused on his Occlumency.

Draw up the defences. Take this pain and shut it away in a lock box. He hardened his heart to her whimpers, to the blood that dripped from her arm and soaked into the carpet, to the tears that glistened in her eyes and down her face.

He waited instead for the moment when Bella would finish her torture, to when he could find Hermione in the dungeons and do whatever he could to make it better. Minutes passed, or maybe hours, and Bellatrix finally lifted herself from Hermione’s body, a pleased smirk on her face.

Despite no longer being pinned down, Hermione lay motionless on the floor, her limbs useless. Draco knew the feeling well. The pain, the exhaustion, the absolute submission that the Cruciatus curse forced on its victims. He shut that thought away in another box. No time to dwell on his own pain.

Draco waited for his aunt to snap her fingers, to give the command for a house-elf to take Hermione down to the dungeons. Instead Bellatrix paced back and forth in front of her, twirling her wand almost nonchalantly in her fingers. Then, the maniacal grin widened, and she leered down at Hermione, her wand raised again.

‘Choose your last words wisely, Mudblood,’ Bellatrix sneered, her wand sparking.

Draco watched in horror as Hermione’s expression turned to one of acceptance. Her body never moving, her eyes trailed from her tormentor over to the fireplace.

They settled on Draco, holding his gaze in her own. Her brown eyes were still the ones he dreamed of, but they were haunted now. Haunted, with a hint of something else. Resolution?

Her voice, when she finally uttered the words, was quiet but not completely broken.

‘I love you, Draco.’

Bellatrix let out a screech, whether of hilarity or anger Draco didn’t know. She jabbed her wand towards Hermione and the first syllables of the killing curse left her mouth.

‘No!’

Draco acted without even thinking. A stun flew from the tip of his wand, catching his aunt off guard and stopping the last of the killing curse from being uttered. In a second he had flown across the room to where Hermione lay, grabbed her arm and Disapparated. The last thing he saw before the spell jerked him and Hermione away from his home was the horrified look on his mother’s face.

HERMIONE GROANED AS she slowly woke up. She ached all over, even more so than usual. Months of being on the run, living in the cold, being hungry all the time, feeling drained from the locket: it had inured her to a lot of pain.

But this was different, a lingering heaviness in her limbs and her veins, the crackle of dark magic still racing across her nerves. She gasped as her memory flooded back, of the capture and the Cruciatus, of Bellatrix’s crazed eyes and the blade of her knife as it carved into her skin.

Hermione’s first coherent thought was that she must be dead. Her second was that she hoped she was dead. She never wanted to go through that pain again.

‘Hey.’

There was someone else in the room with her, someone with a calming voice. A man. A cool hand gently stroked her forehead and smoothed her hair down.

‘It’s alright, Granger. You’re safe now.’

It was a nice voice. Oddly familiar, a little out of place maybe. She wondered if it had all just been a bad dream. Maybe she was at home, and her father was soothing her. Or at Hogwarts, safe in her bed. Or even the Burrow, surrounded by Weasleys and Order members. The thoughts comforted her, and slowly Hermione opened her eyes.

It took her a moment to piece the features together. Grey, stormy eyes. High cheekbones. A slight frown marring the forehead. And white-blond hair that could only belong to one person.

Draco Malfoy was sat by her bedside, one hand holding hers.

Hermione tried to speak, although she wasn’t sure what words would fall out of her mouth. Her throat was too dry, and she coughed instead. Malfoy passed her a glass of water from the bedside table and Hermione shifted herself up into a seated position and took a grateful sip of the water, and then downed the whole glass. Merlin, when had she last drank something?

Malfoy was still watching her, unerringly silent. She was in a bedroom somewhere. Not the Manor. Somewhere dingy, dark. Dusty and unloved. She could just make out the hum of magic and knew that wherever she was, there were wards surrounding them. Lots of wards. To keep others out, or to keep her in? Finally she looked back to Malfoy.

‘What’s going on? Where am I?’

‘How much do you remember?’ was his guarded response.

Hermione felt herself frown as she struggled to pull her memories into focus. Her eyes suddenly widened.

‘Harry? Ron? Where are they?’ she asked frantically.

She remembered Bellatrix sending them to the dungeon, keeping her separate to question her. The Stinging Jinx would have worn off by now, and if the Death Eaters at the Manor had seen him, then Voldemort would be called and Harry would be killed.

‘I – I don’t know,’ Malfoy said with a frown, sitting back in his chair. ‘I just needed to get you out of there, Granger. Bellatrix was going to kill you.’

‘But she’ll kill Harry! And Ron! We need to go back, to help them!’

Already Hermione was trying to push the covers off her body, was moving to stand up. A wave of fresh pain flowed through her body and Malfoy’s gentle hands were on her once more, pushing her back.

‘Please, Hermione,’ he whispered, and his use of her given name was shock enough to silence her for a moment. ‘Please just rest a bit longer.’

There was a crash from downstairs as the front door opened. Hermione jumped, instinctively reaching for a wand that wasn’t there, and Malfoy was on his feet before her fingers grasped at empty air. He threw her what she thought was meant to be a reassuring look.

‘It’s fine, there’s only three of us that know about this place. It’s a friend, Granger.’

She nodded weakly as he reached for the door, then he hesitated and looked back at her over his shoulder.

‘Just… stay here for now, okay?’

As soon as Malfoy left the room Hermione struggled to her feet, carefully this time, and followed him. Creeping down the stairs, she stayed in the shadows behind a banister as their visitor lowered his hood and Malfoy stopped before him. Hermione clapped a hand over her mouth to stop her gasping in surprise. It was Theo Nott, one of Malfoy’s Slytherin classmates, and the son of a known Death Eater. This was Malfoy’s ‘friend’?

Malfoy and Theo regarded each other in wary silence, wands brandished.

‘What did I say to you the last night in our dorm room?’ Malfoy asked.

If Theo found this line of questioning bizarre, he didn’t show it.

‘”I’ll always save her first,”’ Theo cryptically quoted at him.

Malfoy nodded stiffly, and Theo responded with his own question.

‘Where did I really want to be?’

Malfoy was smiling when he replied. ‘Ravenclaw.’

The change over the two of them was instant, tension bleeding from their shoulders, faces relaxing. They embraced each other, quick and firm, and then broke away, Theo’s hands on Malfoy’s forearms.

‘Fuck, Draco,’ Theo muttered. ‘It’s all out in the open now.’ Theo dropped his hands and looked around. ‘Is she alive? Safe?’

‘She is,’ Malfoy said, and then he raised his voice, half turning to her hiding place on the stairs. ‘Come on out Granger, it’s alright.’

He’d known she was there all along, hadn’t he? Aware that the blush on her cheeks was rising, Hermione stood stiffly from her hiding place and walked carefully down the stairs. The muscle memory of the Cruciatus Curse was still there, causing her to wince slightly as she walked.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs she watched them both silently, still not sure how safe she really was. Malfoy’s gaze was inscrutable as usual, and Theo was looking at her with an overfamiliar affection. He looked almost like he wanted to wrap her in a hug, but was working hard on keeping still. He gave her a small smile.

‘Hermione,’ he said. ‘I’m glad you’re safe.’

How strange. She and Theo had never really spoken before, beyond minimal interactions in classes at Hogwarts. And yet he was looking at her like she was his long-lost sister.

‘I’d love to stay and chat,’ Theo said with a forced joviality. ‘But there are other matters…’

He paused and looked meaningfully at Malfoy, and for a few moments they seemed to be grappling with something unspoken.

‘Operation Hippogriff?’ Theo said quietly.

Malfoy nodded shortly after a few moments.

‘Operation Hippogriff,’ he confirmed. ‘Thank you, Theo.’

There were many words left unsaid between them, Hermione knew. Before Theo could turn away, she reached forward to grab the sleeve of his robe, the lingering effects of the torture causing her to stumble as she moved.

‘Easy there, princess,’ Theo murmured, steadying her.

She looked up at him, wondering what his agenda was. Regardless, Theo was the only one who could give her any comfort right now.

‘Harry and Ron?’ she asked quietly.

Theo’s expression was very like Malfoy’s. They seemed to have both mastered the art of concealing their true thoughts and feelings. Even so, Theo’s eyes quickly shifted to Malfoy’s, and the latter gave a slight nod. Theo turned back to Hermione.

‘They escaped, along with the others held in the Manor. We don’t know how.’

Hermione sighed in relief and took a step back from Theo, wrapping her arms around herself. They were safe, wherever they were. The War wasn’t over yet.

Theo cast one last lingering look at Hermione, and then turned briefly back to Malfoy. ‘You should head to your safe house. Just in case… I’ll get in touch as soon as I can.’

The two men embraced quickly one last time, and then Theo was gone.

Hermione had so many questions she was at a loss for words wondering which to voice next. Malfoy was watching her carefully, as if waiting for the thoughts in her head to clear.

‘I thought this _was_ a safe house?’ she asked cautiously, deciding to focus first on the possibility of immediate danger.

‘It is,’ he said. ‘But one all three of us know about.’

‘All three?’

Malfoy, Theo… and who else? And why did they even have a safe house? Why did these Slytherins suddenly care about her? And…

As if he could hear her thoughts running through her brain, Malfoy softly took her face in his hands and looked her in the eyes.

‘Hey,’ he said gently. ‘I know it’s a lot to take in. I’ll answer any questions you have, eventually, but first we have to get somewhere safer. I know it’s a lot to ask, but will you trust me?’

His grey eyes were dark, serious. The guarded look he so often had was softened, still there but not quite as impenetrable. And really, thought Hermione, what choice did she have? She was in pain, with no wand, no idea where she was. And regardless of motive or plan, Malfoy had saved her life. Attacked his own aunt even to get her away.

‘I’ll try to trust you,’ Hermione whispered.

It was the best compromise she could give him. She didn’t miss the bitter look that chased across his face, but he nodded and dropped his hands.

‘It’s more than I deserve,’ he said, turning away.

He held out his hand for hers. She took it, and together they walked out of the house and beyond the wards. Malfoy gave the wards a final check, and a second later he’d Disapparated them once again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘But you’re a Death Eater,’ she protested, her voice nothing more than a whisper. 
> 
> That did make Draco flinch and he sat back in his chair. 
> 
> ‘Yes,’ he admitted quietly. ‘But not all of us chose to take the Mark, or took it willingly. The Dark Lord is hard to say no to. If you want to survive.’

THE SECOND THEY landed in the new safe house, Hermione fell to her knees and vomited onto the floor. She groaned, feebly pushing Malfoy back as he knelt next to her, his steady hands holding her up.

‘Fuck, I’m sorry…’ she started, but he’d already cast a Scourgify and cleaned it away.

‘Don’t be daft, Granger. You’ve been tortured and then Side-Along Apparated twice in the past few hours. Enough to make anyone ill.’

Slowly he brought her up to her feet again, his hand never leaving her back.

‘There’s not much that helps after the Cruciatus, but I find a hot bath at least soothes the pain,’ he murmured, brushing a loose strand of her hair out of her face. ‘There’s a tub here, you want me to run you one?’

Hermione frowned and regarded Malfoy carefully.

‘You’ve been tortured before?’ she asked quietly.

Something flickered in his eyes before his guarded expression dropped again.

‘You’ve met my aunt,’ he said bluntly. There were a few moments of silence.

‘Why are you doing this, Malfoy?’

She tried to look at him sternly, demanding an answer with her eyes, but then another wave of nausea came over her and she groaned and bent over, breathing deeply. The wave settled and Malfoy started guiding her to the other side of the room.

‘Answers later. I’ll draw you a bath.’

Hermione sat on the wooden chair that stood in the old bathroom, watching in bemusement as Draco Malfoy fussed around her like a mother hen, checking the temperature of the bath water, adding some rejuvenating salts, bringing her another glass of water and some clean clothes, unearthing a towel and casting a softening and warming charm on it. Maybe she was actually still unconscious under Bellatrix’s knife. This weird domestic scene couldn’t be true, could it?

When everything was ready he left her to it, and she relished the peace and silence and decided to start formulating a plan. The hot water felt so good as she slipped into it that she moaned in relief as the tingling in her limbs started to numb. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a bath, or anything other than a makeshift shower in their magical tent.

She started scrubbing herself clean, wanting to get every trace of Bellatrix Lestrange and Malfoy Manor off of her body. She lingered over the word carved into her forearm.

Someone – she assumed Malfoy – had tried to heal it, but the blade Bellatrix used must have been magic. The blood had gone but the raised scars remained. There was nothing she could do about it, so she tried her best to put it out of her mind instead.

So, a plan. She was wandless, in a location known only to Malfoy and Theo Nott, and in a physically and mentally weakened state. Even if she could escape – and she didn’t know if she really was a prisoner, or if she could just walk out of the house and beyond the wards – where would she go? The Snatchers were still out there, and the Death Eaters. Werewolves, rapists and murderers. So many people who would take pleasure in her death.

So far, Malfoy had given her no reason not to trust him. He’d rescued her from certain death, healed her, taken care of her. He hadn’t even batted an eyelid when she’d thrown up over his safe house. But… this was Draco Malfoy.

Yes, she loved him. That hadn’t been a lie, and it had been the only unsaid thing she knew she’d regret dying with. But she didn’t trust him. Not yet, not completely.

Theo had said Harry and Ron had escaped. They had so much more to do, so much to achieve, before Voldemort could be defeated. Really, she needed to get back to the Order. But in the meantime, she was determined to figure out exactly what Malfoy and Theo were up to, and who this mysterious third person was.

She’d laid so long in the bath that the water was starting to go cold, and as she began to shiver Hermione dragged herself from the bath and wrapped herself in the warm towel, relieved to find that her pain was much less than it had been.

When he’d been drawing the bath, Draco had also brought her a change of clothes, and left them on the chair for her. She dried herself off and reached for them, but was surprised at what she found. Instead of Draco’s cast offs or borrowed garments, everything was new and almost perfectly tailored to fit her. A pair of black jeans, black underwear, a soft gold t-shirt and a red cashmere jumper that was so soft and warm it was like snuggling into a bed. She paused in the middle of pulling the jumper over her torso, looking at the red wool next to the yellow top.

Gryffindor colours, she realised. She pulled on the pair of socks – nothing closer to heaven than a clean, dry pair of socks after living in a tent for months on end – and the flat leather knee boots that were in her size. They had a warming charm magicked into them. Practical clothes, made for running and warmth, but in luxurious colours and fabrics. There was even a red scarf at the bottom of the pile that she used to wrap around her hair, keeping it out of her face as much as possible. Then she turned to the door and let herself through.

This safe house was much smaller than the last, a tiny one-floor cottage with the main room, the bathroom, and what Hermione assumed were two bedrooms, looking at the two doors that stood just behind the sofa. Malfoy was in the kitchen area, a pan before him boiling on the Aga, a kettle boiling next to that. He looked up when he heard the door open and smiled warmly at her.

‘I’m making you tea,’ he said mildly. ‘And some pasta. Best to stick to plain foods for a while.’

Hermione just watched in amazement as he turned back to the stove. It was almost as if she’d just come home to a husband making dinner for his wife. She’d never felt more out of her depth. What the fuck was going on?

Malfoy lifted his wand and the two cups of tea and two bowls of pasta levitated in front of him and danced across to the table, dropping with a slight clatter. Hermione silently walked over, sitting at one of the stools and picking up a fork. She ate quickly, another habit picked up from months on the run, and gave her tea a cautious sniff before drinking it, even if she knew that Malfoy had plenty of opportunity to hurt her if that’s what he’d been after. She was aware of his cautious gaze on her most of the time as they ate, but he seemed happy to wait until she was ready to talk. Hermione let him wait.

IN TRUTH, DRACO was terrified. He remembered his first time under torture, remembered how much it had fucked him afterwards. The second, third and fourth time were no different. By the fifth time, it was a little bit easier to take. And then there was the fact that Draco had pulled Hermione away from her friends, and her mission, with no warning and no explanation.

She was thinking so loudly he could practically hear it, even without any use of his legilimency. Worries about Harry and Ron, curiosity about Draco and Theo, and a constant, blinding fear that was so ingrained into her thoughts he suspected she’d been carrying it with her for months. It was a testament to her strength and bravery that none of this showed on her face.

Draco looked away slightly, trying to close down his perception. The downside to being a natural Legilimens meant it was difficult to stay distant sometimes, especially when other people’s thoughts and fears were so strong. Luckily, Draco was also an excellent Occlumens.

He focused on his shields now, waiting for Hermione to speak first. She’d eaten quickly, and he tried not to be bothered when she sniffed the tea suspiciously before drinking it. He should be pleased she showed more self-preservation than most Gryffindors he knew. It had probably saved her life more than once.

Draco sat quietly, occasionally sipping his own tea, while he surreptitiously watched her wrestle with her own questions, her fingers tapping against the china of the teacup, her forehead drawn in a slight frown as she looked hard at the knots in the wooden table between them. Eventually, she looked up. Looked directly at him, her big brown eyes narrowed slightly. He held his breath as he waited.

‘Why did you do it?’

Draco winced. The first question, the most direct one. What else had he expected from her? She had always pursued knowledge, understanding. She’d always asked the probing questions. Not for the first time, Draco wondered how Hermione Granger had not ended up in Ravenclaw. She was watching him carefully, waiting for his answer.

He could lie. Well, not lie exactly, but tell half the truth. That their little cell was committed to destabilising Voldemort’s regime, that they were doing the best they could to give Potter and his friends the space they needed to carry out whatever plans they were up to. He could pretend that he would have blown his cover to keep any of them alive, if they’d been threatened with death like she had.

Or he could tell the whole truth. It was an interesting concept. One he only shared with two other people. Hermione blinked and her eyes started to darken in fury while he kept her waiting. She’d always looked adorable when she was riled up.

‘You remember what you said… before I Disapparated with you from the Manor?’

Hermione blinked and looked away sharply, a blush creeping up her cheeks.

‘I – I thought I was going to die,’ she protested sharply. ‘I barely knew what I was saying.’

She’d always been a bad liar. Draco reached over the tabletop and took her hand in his. She didn’t look back at him, but she also didn’t pull her hand away in disgust.

‘Truth is, Granger,’ Draco admitted, looking at her even as she avoided his gaze. ‘I love you, too.’

IT MUST BE a trick, was Hermione’s first desperate thought. Some advanced form of torture, of interrogation. Malfoy was tricking her, in the hope that she’d spill all of her secrets to him that he could take straight back to Voldemort. Cautiously she snuck a look at him, and found that his eyes were on hers already. Grey like quicksilver, his pupils were slightly dilated, and he looked more vulnerable than she had ever seen him.

She tried to laugh in contempt, but it sounded weak even to her ears. Instead she pulled her hand away from his. His fingers twitched slightly as if he meant to reach out for her again, but he didn’t move.

‘It’s the truth, Granger,’ he repeated. ‘Believe it or not, it’s not going to change. And I’m just sorry I didn’t help you before my aunt even started torturing you. I was so sure she’d send you down with Potter and the Weasel once she’d had her fun.’

Malfoy’s eyes had dropped from hers as he spoke, and she shivered uncontrollably as she thought back to the torture.

‘But it doesn’t make sense, Malfoy,’ she whispered, clasping her hands together as she looked down to her lap. ‘You hate me. And my blood.’

‘I did when I was younger, and an idiot. I like to think I’m much less of an idiot these days.’

‘But you’re a Death Eater,’ she protested, her voice nothing more than a whisper. That did make him flinch and he sat back in his chair.

‘Yes,’ he admitted quietly. ‘But not all of us chose to take the Mark, or took it willingly. The Dark Lord is hard to say no to. If you want to survive.’

Finally she looked up. His eyes were hard, his mouth set in a grim line. Suddenly he sighed and brushed both his hands up and over his hair.

‘He threatened my mother. Threatened to torture and kill her if I didn’t take the Mark. I’d do anything to protect her.’

That was something Hermione could understand. She’d Obliviated her own parents after all, removed herself from their memories, and sent them to Australia. She didn’t know if she’d ever see them again, if they’d ever be able to have their memories restored, but she’d do it again in a heartbeat if she needed to.

She thought back to the Manor. Terror had given her tunnel vision, and most of her memory was of pain, Bellatrix’s dark, laughing eyes on her, and the cold, hard marble floor beneath her back. But Malfoy had been there, standing over by the mantlepiece, and next to him… next to him had stood Narcissa Malfoy. It was as if several puzzle pieces had suddenly slotted into place, and she nodded.

‘Operation Hippogriff?’ she said wryly.

Malfoy let out a shaky laugh.

‘Pulling a condemned prisoner out from under their captor’s noses? Seemed like a fitting name.’

His eyes glinted with dark humour as he regarded her, and Hermione looked away again quickly, hiding a small smile. How much did he know about Buckbeak’s real escape? She sobered quickly as she thought back to Narcissa Malfoy. Hermione hadn’t paid her much attention, but even so it was difficult to miss the pinched look of her face, the paleness of her skin and the worry in her eyes as she had gazed at her son in horror. Cautiously, Hermione reached back over and took Malfoy’s hand back in hers.

‘You trust Theo?’ she asked gently.

Malfoy nodded. ‘With my life.’

She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. ‘Then he’ll get her out.’

He nodded again and for a brief, terrifying moment, Hermione was worried he might cry. Then he took a deep breath, squeezed her hand in reply, and smiled.

‘Thanks, Granger.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed. Next chapter will go up next Friday. In the meantime, stay safe out there <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘Malfoy, let me help you. Let the Order help you. This could be a long war, and you’re in so much danger now.’
> 
> Malfoy laughed at that, a bitter sound that made Hermione want to reach over and take his hand in her own.
> 
> ‘I’ve always been in danger,’ he said. ‘I’ve survived so far.’

THEY DIDN’T TALK much longer after that. Granger had barely been able to keep her eyes open, and Draco had sent her off to bed despite her protests. He’d offered her a vial of Dreamless Sleep, knowing the rough night she had ahead of her, but she had hesitated only briefly before shaking her head, mumbling something about the side effects. Draco hadn’t pushed her. She’d already eaten and drunk willingly, he wasn’t going to force her to take a potion from him if she didn’t want to.

It had been hours since she had gone to bed, but Draco sat in a creaky old armchair in his safe house, a tumbler of Firewhisky in his hand. The sky outside was dark, void of stars or moon. He’d conjured a jar of bluebell flames to keep the house illuminated, and sighed as he looked over the small bookshelf in front of him.

Draco would have to travel to the dead drop after first light to see if there was any news of Theo, and in the meantime the wait was torture. He knew that in the last twenty-four hours he’d become the Dark Lord’s most wanted wizard.

Well, maybe not quite as wanted as Potter was, but he knew he was still pretty high on the list. His father would probably be punished for his son’s betrayal, but it was his mother Draco was really worried about.

Narcissa Malfoy knew little of their plans. She was much more clever than most people gave her credit for, hiding her intelligence and sharp wit behind her beauty and her pureblood manners.

Narcissa had always been careful never to ask for any information that might have incriminated Draco or the other boys, all of whom had known each other as children. But she could read between the lines perfectly well, and was just as much a master of doublespeak as Draco himself.

Knowing that she was in danger because of him, that Theo and his other friend were in as much danger rescuing her, while Draco himself could only sit there and wait, was a horrible feeling.

With a sigh, Draco topped up his Firewhiskey. He’d barely taken a sip before heart-rending screams ripped through the safe house. In a split-second he was on his feet, wand drawn, tumbler smashed at his feet. He rushed towards Hermione’s room.

THE NIGHTMARE HAD wrenched into her unconscious, flashing eyes and Cruciatus pains and the green flash of Avada Kedavra rattling through her mind. Hermione woke slowly, her muscles tense, vaguely aware of someone screaming horribly into the quiet of the night. It took her a moment to realise the screams were hers.

‘It’s alright, Hermione.’

A voice soothed her in the darkness, and the next thing she knew she’d been bundled up in someone’s arms. They held her firmly, keeping her from thrashing, and as her screams turned to sobs and she stopped struggling, the grip loosened, but kept her swept up in the hug.

‘You’re safe now,’ the voice murmured, and Hermione realised it was Draco Malfoy. Instead of feeling panicked by the realisation, she instead felt a wave of relief, and she fell back into him.

‘I’m so sorry. I won’t let anything happen to you again,’ he promised, his voice close to her ear.

She didn’t know why, but the last thing Hermione thought before she fell back into a fitful sleep was that she believed him wholeheartedly.

WHEN HERMIONE WOKE the next morning, she was alone in her room. Only her vague memories of half-waking up after her nightmare let her know Malfoy had been there to soothe her at all.

She stretched her body out cautiously, and sure enough there was still a tingling remnant of the Cruciatus Curse in her muscles and nerves, although thankfully they seemed to be much milder than they had been yesterday.

Carefully she got up and wandered over to the wardrobe in the room, opening it curiously. As she had half-expected, it was full of clothes in her size. She grabbed a few new items and then pulled on the same black jeans and red jumper from yesterday. Her hair was a tangle of curls and she shoved it all up into a high, messy bun before wrapping the red scarf around it again.

Time to face Malfoy, she thought to herself. Her fingers itched at her side, uncomfortable being wandless. She needed to get back to Harry and Ron as soon as possible.

Malfoy was at the kitchen again when she came through, this time scrambling some eggs. He looked up when she entered, his eyes cautiously guarded once again.

‘Morning,’ Hermione greeted him quietly.

‘Are you okay?’ he asked mildly, stirring the eggs.

‘I am. I slept alright after – after the nightmare. Thank you for looking after me.’

He shrugged nonchalantly but she could tell he cared.

‘Any news on your mother?’

Draco stilled at the stove, and then sighed and dropped the spoon, finally turning to face her.

‘I checked the dead drop this morning. Nothing from Theo yet. But it will probably take a day or two to get her safely away.’

Hermione nodded, unsurprised. If Narcissa Malfoy was being held by Death Eaters, a pawn to flush Draco out of hiding after his stunt at the Manor, then it would be a difficult extraction. Almost as difficult as stealing a hippogriff and a condemned criminal from under the nose of the Minister for Magic himself.

It took her a moment to realise what he’d said.

‘Wait a minute,’ she said. ‘You’re using dead drops? Why don’t you use magic?’

‘Like what, Granger?’ Malfoy’s jaw was tight, but she could see the genuine interest flicker in his eyes.

‘Like a Patronus, for starters,’ Hermione said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

The Order members always used their Patronus for communication. If Malfoy’s safe house was Unplottable and no one else had access to it, the Patronus could still find its way close enough for the him to get the message. She looked up at the silence, and found Malfoy’s eyes dark and unreadable again. She waited. Eventually he looked up.

‘Not all of us can cast a Patronus.’

‘Well, I know it’s fairly advanced magic…’ she began, then trailed off.

Sure, the Patronus Charm wasn’t usually taught until N.E.W.T level, but Malfoy had never been stupid. Annoying, yes, prejudiced, yes, arrogant, yes – but he was intelligent. A Patronus would cause him no difficulty. He sighed then, as if resigned to spelling it out for her.

‘A Patronus charm can only be cast when you think of something truly happy. You’ve seen my house. My mother is under constant threat of torture because of me and my father’s failures. My aunt is a sadistic psychopath, intent on training me up to be her protégé. And the Dark Lord makes regular house visits. You try conjuring up happy thoughts with that constantly on your mind.’

‘Oh.’ Hermione dropped her gaze, suddenly feeling very small.

All this time they’d assumed Malfoy was just the same as his family, as the other Death Eaters. Guiltily she realised she’d never once considered that he was just doing what he needed to, for the sake of his mother, for the sake of his own survival. Self-preservation.

‘The Protean Charm then,’ she said quickly, to make up for the heavy atmosphere that had settled over them.

‘Fuck me,’ Draco muttered to himself, looking out of the window as he composed his thoughts. ‘Why the fuck didn’t I think of that before.’

Hermione couldn’t help it. She smirked at him. ‘Maybe I could help you, Malfoy. All three of you.’

He scoffed as he served up the eggs and toast, then looked back at her when she didn’t laugh.

‘You’re serious?’ he asked with a flick of his eyebrow as he swished his wand and the two plates dropped onto the table.

To Hermione’s own surprise, she realised she was.

‘If you’re serious, and you and Theo and – well, presumably another one of your Slytherin mates – if you’re really running a resistance against You-Know-Who from the inside, the Order can help you. Especially you, Malfoy. Now you’ve blown your cover, what are your plans?’

Malfoy didn’t answer for a moment, sitting instead down at the table and taking a sip of his tea. She copied him, and as soon as she sat in front of the plate of scrambled eggs realised she was starving. She started to eat, and noticed that his expression briefly changed to one of satisfaction before he answered her question.

‘As soon as my mother is safe, I’ll start working from here, or one of the other safe houses, and do undercover work to support Theo and – our friend.’

Hermione nodded thoughtfully.

‘Malfoy, let me help you. Let the Order help you. This could be a long war, and you’re in so much danger now.’

Malfoy laughed at that, a bitter sound that made her want to reach over and take his hand in her own.

‘I’ve always been in danger,’ he said. ‘I’ve survived so far.’

She glared at him and he laughed again, this one warmer and more genuine.

‘Look Granger, I appreciate it, but no. It’s far too dangerous for you to get involved in any of this. You already have Potter and the Weasel to babysit. Focus on whatever it is the three of you are doing, and I’ll focus on what we’re doing here, and hopefully between us all, we can defeat the Dark Lord and one day this will all be over.’

Hermione wasn’t pleased with his answer, but if she was stuck here for a few more days then she had time to change his mind. As if reading her thoughts, he smiled at her.

‘We’ll get you back to the Order just as soon as my mother is safe. I need Theo’s help to get you back safely.’

Finishing her plate of scrambled eggs, Hermione nodded resolutely.

‘In that case, I’m going to take a look at your books,’ she announced haughtily.

She stood up from the table and marched over to the bookshelf. Malfoy let out a low, affectionate laugh from behind her, and the sound gave her a warm, fluttering feeling in her stomach.

THEY ENDED UP sitting in the old armchairs in companionable silence, each holding a cup of a tea with a book open on their laps. As Draco looked up from his – a book on field healing that he’d been meaning to read for months now – he caught sight of Hermione across from him and felt his heart stutter momentarily.

She was curled up in the battered armchair, legs tucked under her, and the soft red wool of her jumper flattered her warm skin tone. She was deep into the book she’d taken from his shelf – something about dark magic, not that that should have surprised him – and he could tell that she’d forgotten where she was and what she was doing.

It had been the same back at Hogwarts, when he’d stumbled across her reading in the library or seen her at breakfast in the Great Hall, a book open before her.

And there had been one time in Diagon Alley during the summer when he’d gone to Flourish and Blotts, and found her hidden away at the back, nose deep in a new book on the magical history of ancient Egypt. She hadn’t noticed him at all, but he’d stood there for a good few minutes, watching her and absorbing her.

He sighed sadly. In a different world, maybe this would have been normal for him. Sitting in silence with her, lost in their own world.

Just as he was about to drop his head back to his book, her eyes looked up from the pages and straight at him instead. He smiled at her, half apologetic for staring, and the shy smile he got in return was enough to warm his entire body.

She looked back down at her book but she couldn’t hide the soft pink flush of her cheeks. He turned his attention to his own book, but found he couldn’t focus on the wand movements and the descriptions for when each spell would be used. Huffing in frustration he closed the book and looked up to find Hermione gazing at him again.

‘What?’ he asked, not unkindly.

‘How long have you been doing this for?’ she waved a hand vaguely as she said it, and he took it to mean their resistance.

‘About a year now,’ he admitted. ‘I’m sure you know the Dark Lord is an exceptional Legilimens. I had to be sure before I started talking to others about my plans. But Theo… we’ve been friends since we were children. We weren’t particularly close at Hogwarts, but when things started to get serious, we got closer again. And you obviously know there’s a third person with us – I can’t tell you who, you already know so much. It isn’t worth the risk to us or you.’

‘I already know who it is,’ she admitted quietly.

Draco raised an eyebrow in surprise. ‘You do?’

‘Blaise Zabini,’ Hermione said with confidence.

‘And what makes you think that?’ he asked coolly.

‘Well, it makes sense that it’s someone you went to school with, someone who would have sympathies to the Death Eater cause, at least initially. And as glad as I am to see you’ve finally ditched Crabbe and Goyle as your sidekicks, you’ve moved onto more… intelligent associates. Running an operation like this needs brains, cunning and common sense. Not something either of those idiots had. And I know you’re not one to have female friends, so I doubt it would be any of the girls. Not to mention the fact that despite your occasional arrogance and general stuck-up-ishness, you were raised in a particular way, and I know you wouldn’t be comfortable putting a woman at risk, even if they did it willingly. Zabini is talented, he’s subtle, he’s a guy, he’s a Slytherin. Who else would it be?’

For a moment he thought about denying it all, but she was spot on. And besides, it wouldn’t really matter how much she knew by the time they returned her to the Order.

‘Theo was right,’ he murmured instead. ‘You always were the clever one.’

Hermione smiled triumphantly. Draco shook his head, pretending to be mad at her, and then looked out of the window. Night had finally fallen.

‘I have to go to the dead drop, see if there’s any news,’ he said, closing his book completely and standing up. ‘Stay here, ok? You’ll be safe in the wards. I won’t be long.’

Without waiting for her to answer, Draco pulled on his cloak and marched outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for taking the time to read :) I hope you enjoy! I'm really excited about sharing chapter four with you all, watch out for it next week! In the meantime I hope you're all doing well <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Malfoy moved in even more, so that his face was closer to hers, and gently pushed back a loose curl behind her ear. 
> 
> ‘You know,’ he said in a low voice that made her melt inside. ‘I’m not much of a talker when it comes to emotions.’
> 
> Hermione gulped, aware of his breath against her face, as he leaned in and gently brushed his lips against her cheekbone. 
> 
> ‘Nor am I,’ she admitted with a small smile, turning her face slightly so her lips caught his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for stopping by! I think this is one of my favourite chapters.... and fair warning but there is smut ahead (and there will be more as we progress!). I love reading your comments, please do let me know if you're still enjoying this :)

MALFOY WAS QUICK, as promised. When he returned to the house, Hermione looked up from her book in interest. For once he wasn’t guarding his expression, and she could see it was good news.

‘Your mother’s safe?’ she asked hopefully, standing up.

Malfoy approached her with a smile and wrapped her in a hug. Although it was unexpected, Hermione felt herself melting into his warmth before he pulled away again.

‘They got her out. She’s safe, and Theo and Blaise are both safe and with no-one the wiser.’

‘That’s fantastic!’ she exclaimed, glad that Narcissa was no longer in danger.

Malfoy ran a hand through his hair. ‘It’s great news. And it means we can get you back, and I can start working here for the boys.’

Hermione tried to ignore the twinge in her heart when she thought of Malfoy living on the run like they had been, but alone, working behind the scenes on no doubt dangerous missions to help out Theo and Zabini. She knew that before she returned to the Order, she had to try and get him to accept her help.

‘We need to head back to the joint safe house, and then we’ll get you back to the Order as soon as we can,’ Malfoy was saying. ‘We can go now, or we can go in the morning if you’d rather sleep here for the night.’

‘Let’s stay here and go in the morning,’ Hermione found herself saying. ‘In fact, let’s have a drink,’ she suggested. She saw Malfoy throw her a surprised look and laughed. ‘What, you think that because I’m quiet and read a lot I don’t drink? As far as we know, everyone we both care about is safe and well right now. If that’s not a good enough reason to have a drink and celebrate in wartime, I don’t know what is.’

Malfoy broke into a smile and gently pushed her towards the comfortable sofa in front of the fireplace.

‘That’s one thing we can agree on, Granger.’

She curled up on the sofa and a minute later Draco joined her with a bottle of Ogden’s Old Firewhisky and two glass tumblers. He filled each glass with a generous amount and handed her one of them.

Clinking her glass against Malfoy’s, Hermione took a deep gulp, wincing a little as the warmth trickled down her throat and left a burning in her belly. She instantly felt the beginnings of the extra courage that good firewhisky always seemed to imbue her with.

‘You know,’ Hermione said nonchalantly as if she’d only just thought about it, as if it hadn’t been constantly on her mind. ‘We never really spoke about… well. What I said in the Manor. What – what you told me afterwards.’

There was a moment of silence and then Malfoy shifted so his body was turned towards her. When she looked up at him, his eyes were molten, burning into her with an intensity she’d never seen on him before. Gently he took the tumbler from her and set it on the floor along with his.

‘You mean the bit where we said we loved each other?’ he said seriously, but with a slight twitch to his lips as though he were trying not to smile.

‘Something like that,’ Hermione breathed, realising with a shock that she’d moved closer to him, bringing their thighs together.

He moved in even more, so that his face was closer to hers, and gently pushed back a loose curl behind her ear.

‘You know,’ Malfoy said in a low voice that made her melt inside. ‘I’m not much of a talker when it comes to emotions.’

Hermione gulped, aware of his breath against her face, as he leaned in and gently brushed his lips against her cheekbone.

‘Nor am I,’ she admitted with a small smile, turning her face slightly so her lips caught his.

Kissing Malfoy was like standing in a sunbeam after a rainstorm. When his lips brushed hers, and his hands curled in her jumper, and his tongue gently slid against hers, Hermione’s mind stilled, calm for the first time in… well, forever, it felt like.

She raised her hands to his face as their kiss deepened, letting one settle in his hair while the other one cradled his jaw, holding him close. She heard herself whimper slightly into his mouth, and he shifted against her, pushing her back onto the cushions of the sofa.

She let him push her down, let his body settle against hers, let her hands drift over his shoulders and down his arms before snaking around his torso and pulling him even closer.

He was warm and solid against her, and as he pulled away from their kiss and dropped his head to her neck, kissing the skin there in a trail down to her collarbone, Hermione felt safe.

‘Hermione,’ Malfoy breathed against her neck, his hands gripping her hips like she might try and escape. ‘I really do love you. I – I think you’re perfect.’

‘Draco…’ his given name escaped her mouth without her thinking about it. ‘I meant it too. I love you.’

Her admission made him shiver against her, and suddenly he was kissing her again, deeper and more urgently this time. Hermione moved beneath him, and she felt him hard against her thigh. Instinctively she thrust herself against him, making him moan against her lips as she rubbed against his length.

‘Fuck, Hermione,’ he groaned. ‘You will be the death of me.’

His fingers danced over the base of her throat, his mouth following to drop kisses there, and overcome with impatience Hermione pushed him away, tightening her stomach muscles so she could sit up.

Malfoy froze above her, his eyes panicked, and Hermione realised he probably thought she had changed her mind and was trying to get away. Instead she pulled her jumper and shirt over her head in one movement, pulling them over her unruly hair and letting them drop unceremoniously on the floor before falling back against the pillows in just her bra. He didn’t move for a few moments, his eyes dark as he drunk her in.

‘So beautiful,’ he murmured, kissing her cheek, her lips, her nose, her throat, and then slowly kissing a path down to the swell of her breasts over her bra.

His hands trailed along her ribs and gently over her breasts, and she moaned and squirmed against him, her body feeling like it was on fire. He grinned slightly and pulled aside the lace, letting his mouth fall to her nipple, his lips ghosting across it.

‘Oh fuck,’ she breathed. ‘Please…’

He took her nipple in his mouth, his tongue playing over it as it stiffened, and his hand moved to her other breast, caressing it and making Hermione squirm even more.

As his tongue continued to flick against one nipple and his fingers gently pulled on the other, Hermione could feel her core start to throb incessantly, and desperate for some contact she wrapped her legs around Malfoy’s waist, grinding herself against him. His mouth instantly lost contact with her breast as he panted against her.

‘Hermione,’ he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

‘Draco,’ she panted in response, her hands tugging at his shirt and pulling it over his head. He tensed as she ran her hands freely over his body, admiring the taut muscles that rippled under his skin.

As she started to pull down the zip on his trousers, he groaned again before reaching behind her to unclasp her bra, and then mirroring her actions with his hands at her jeans.

Fumbling and desperate, they undressed each other until both were left in their underwear. Draco’s eyes were dark when he gently pinned Hermione back, his hands holding her wrists against the sofa, and he gave her a serious look.

‘You sure about this, Granger?’ he asked, his voice uncertain.

She rocked her body underneath him, wanting him to touch her, to sate some of the fire that ran through her body, but he refused to release her hands, waiting for an answer. Hermione avoided his eyes.

‘I do want to,’ she insisted, as Malfoy watched her with a closed expression on his face. ‘I really do, Draco, but – well, I haven’t exactly… I haven’t done this before.’

She felt her face flush at her admission, and when he didn’t say anything for a few moments she chanced a peek at him. He was looking at her with an expression that looked like he was battling between wanting to protect her and wanting to ravish her. Hermione wasn’t entirely sure which side she wanted to win.

‘Draco?’ she whimpered when he still didn’t reply, and he released her wrists and leaned forward to kiss her.

‘That’s alright, Hermione,’ he reassured her. ‘We’ll take things slow, okay?’

Hermione made a noise, ready to protest. She didn’t want to take it slow. She wanted _him_ , completely and utterly. As if reading her mind, he grinned and kissed the end of her nose.

‘Trust me?’ he whispered, and this time she nodded without hesitation.

With another kiss, he started working his way down her body, kissing along her stomach, stroking the skin at her ribs and her hips, moving down to her thigh, down her calf, and pressing a kiss in the arch of her foot. Then his fingers trailed back up over her thighs, and finally, _finally_ , he brushed them over her cunt, over her knickers.

She moaned and pushed up against his hand, and he dropped another kiss on the inside of her thigh before he slid his fingers under the material and gently teased her entrance.

Hermione squirmed again, desperate to have him inside her, and Malfoy obliged by sliding one finger into her. She clenched helplessly around him, and he placed another kiss on the inside of her thigh before adding a second finger and slowly starting to work them in and out of her.

‘You feel amazing,’ he murmured. ‘You’re so wet for me already. You would take my cock so easily right now.’

Hermione felt herself get even wetter at his words, and she was sure he must have noticed as well. With his other hand, he wandlessly vanished her underwear, and before she could even think straight she felt a hot, wet presence on her and realised that it was Draco’s tongue.

‘Oh _gods_ ,’ she gasped, arching up into him as he did it again, his fingers still buried deep within her.

One more lick along her cunt and then his tongue latched onto her clit. Her legs twitched around him, her hands found their way into his hair as her licked and sucked at her clit, his fingers still curled inside her, and the coil of arousal inside Hermione grew tighter and tighter.

‘Draco,’ she gasped his name as she felt herself getting closer and closer to a delicious edge.

Her fingers tightened in his hair and he moaned in pain, the vibration against her clit sending her even closer.

‘ _Fuck_ ,’ she hissed, grinding herself closer to him.

His tongue got harder, the pressure more insistent, and a moment later she cried out and arched further into his mouth, her fingers spasming in his hair as she came under his tongue. He held her in place, helping her ride through her climax, and when it became too sensitive and she started to shy away he gently removed his fingers and pulled his head back.

When he crawled back over her body, she looked at him dazedly, stroking his cheek and his hair as he looked at her with blown pupils and lazily licked his lips.

‘You’re amazing,’ he murmured, before leaning down to kiss her.

She could taste herself on his lips and tongue, and she felt herself throb in anticipation. She reached down to take his cock in her hand but he stopped her before she could.

‘Not right now, Granger,’ Malfoy said softly. ‘Tonight was for you.’

And before she could protest, he’d moved her onto her side and lay beside her, face to face, and summoned a blanket to cover them before wrapping his arms around her and peppering her face with gentle kisses. Eventually, even with his love and attention so focused on her, she felt herself yawn and her eyes start to close.

‘Sleep now, Hermione,’ he soothed, pulling her closer into him. ‘I’ve got you.’ Sated and safe, she soon fell asleep.

WHEN HERMIONE AWOKE, she was in a bed rather than on the sofa. Draco must have carried her there last night after she fell asleep. She felt a solid warmth next to her and as she stirred, Draco pulled her in tighter to his body, his lips brushing against the back of her neck.

‘Morning,’ he said quietly, his fingers stroking her belly. Hermione felt herself blush as she realised she was still naked against him.

‘Morning.’

She stretched her body out alongside him, wincing slightly at the fading remnants of the Cruciatus curse. Draco sighed into her skin as his fingers danced over her.

The sun had already risen, and Hermione rolled over until she was facing Draco, his grey eyes watching her carefully.

‘You okay?’ he asked.

She nodded. ‘We’re heading back to the other safe house today?’

‘As soon as you’re ready,’ Draco said, lifting one hand to push her hair back over her shoulder.

His eyes caught hers once more, but for once his guard was lifted and she could see the tenderness in them. With a small smile she moved forward and kissed him, wrapping her arms around him and letting him pull her against him.

When they broke away she nuzzled into his neck, closing her eyes and for a moment pretending that there was no war, no safe houses, no different sides. She sighed quietly and Draco kissed her temple.

‘I’ll wait for you,’ he murmured. ‘As long as it takes, as long as this war takes, I’ll wait for you.’

Hermione rested her head against his neck, his body warm against hers.

‘You don’t have to wait, Draco,’ she said. ‘If you just let me help you.’

She felt his body stiffen slightly at her words, then he sighed into her hair.

‘Let’s get ready and go to the other safe house.’ A final kiss on her forehead, and he rolled out of bed.

IT WAS MID-MORNING when they landed back at the other safe house. Draco had his wand drawn as they approached the wards, and finding them unbroken he lowered it slightly, keeping hold of Hermione’s hand.

‘I think Theo’s already here,’ he said as they walked past the wards and towards the house, and Hermione could see someone moving in the kitchen through the windows. Sure enough, when they walked through the door, Theo was waving his wand to boil a kettle of water.

His eyes lit up when he saw them and he pulled Draco into a wordless hug, and a moment later opened his arm and pulled Hermione in as well. She laughed softly as she was bundled up against the two boys.

‘I didn’t think Slytherins did hugs,’ she huffed, and as a reward Theo ruffled her hair before releasing them both.

‘This particular Slytherin has always been a hugger,’ Draco snorted with a clap on Theo’s back, and Theo looked bashful as he regarded her.

‘I get… overexcited sometimes. Sorry,’ Theo muttered, and Hermione hugged him again.

‘How’s my mother?’ Draco asked quietly, leaning back on the kitchen countertop.

Theo waved his wand as the kettle started to whistle and it levitated itself, starting to pour boiling water into a chipped green teapot next to Draco.

‘Narcissa is fine,’ Theo said. ‘We got her to France. Bl – er, our friend is with her now still.’

Theo shot Hermione a guilty look at his slip, but Draco laughed at him.

‘She already figured out it’s Blaise, don’t worry about it.’

Theo looked away from her again. ‘Oh. Of course she did.’

‘And the Dark Lord doesn’t suspect you?’ Draco’s voice was hard and his eyes free from emotion, but Hermione could hear the concern locked behind his nonchalant façade.

‘Nope,’ Theo said, waving his wand once more and hovering three full teacups to each of them. ‘Blaise will be back tomorrow. I’m due back at the Manor later today.’

Draco took a sip of his tea and gave Theo a long, hard look. Theo was quiet, his eyes narrowing as the silence between them expanded, and then he dropped his gaze and his shoulders seemed to droop slightly. Theo looked up at Hermione, his expression soft, and she paused in raising her tea to her lips.

‘Let’s get you back to the Order, princess,’ Theo said with a hint of sadness.

‘Now?’

Hermione had known it was coming, but she thought she would maybe have a day or two to convince Draco to let her help them.

She looked at Draco as he studiously avoided her eyes, staring into the bottom of his tea cup as though he were back in Divination with Professor Trelawney, trying to read the future in some soggy tea leaves.

‘Draco…’ Hermione said in a voice that was whinier than she would have liked.

She marched over to him, pulling the empty teacup out of his hands and forcing him to look at her.

‘It’s time, Hermione,’ Draco said. ‘Your friends don’t even know you’re alive right now. You can’t keep them waiting.’

Draco had a point there. And she didn’t even know where Harry and Ron were, or whether they were well. Just that they had escaped the manor. When she looked back up at him, Draco gave her a sad smile and stroked her cheek.

‘Remember what I told you this morning,’ he murmured. ‘I meant it, okay?’

‘You want me to do it?’

Theo’s quiet voice came from behind Hermione, and she frowned in confusion at his words and looked over her shoulder. Theo was looking straight at Draco, his wand held loose at his side.

‘It’s okay, Theo,’ Draco replied, and Hermione turned back to him. His wand was also in his hand, and as she watched in horror he slowly raised it, pointing it directly at her face. ‘I’ll do it.’


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘What did you have for me?’ Hermione asked distractedly. 
> 
> Draco didn’t need to use Legilimency to know her mind was still in the books she had left on the table. Instead of answering he pulled her to face him, trying to memorise the flecks of gold in her brown eyes, the freckles that dusted the skin over her nose, the bow of her lips. The same lips that curved into a smile under his gaze, and yielded to his when he leaned in and kissed her.

DRACO’S EYES WERE hard as he twisted his wand in an all-too-familiar locking motion, but before the spell could take hold, Hermione had thrown up a wandless, wordless Protego against him.

She pushed his wand hand away and advanced on him, her eyes flashing furiously. She beat her fists against his chest, forcing him backwards until his back hit the countertop.

‘What the fuck, Draco Malfoy?’ she screamed at him, her voice cracking. ‘You were going to _Obliviate me_?’

‘It’s the only way to keep all of us safe, Granger,’ Draco argued in response. 

They glared at each other, equally stubborn, and Theo cleared his throat non too subtly to remind them that he was there too. They both ignored him.

Hermione was so angry at Draco that she could feel her magic sparking off her skin, despite not having a wand to channel it through, and she kept her fingers curled tightly into fists in an attempt to control her emotions.

Where Hermione was fire, Draco was ice, his eyes expressionless, his features carefully blank. Hermione opened her mouth to shout at him some more, but then a thought occurred to her and she looked up at him with renewed horror.

‘Oh, gods,’ she said, taking a small step back. ‘Is that why… is that why you didn’t want to…’

Memories of being together at his safe house last night flashed through her mind and she covered her mouth with her hand to stop a sob escaping her. Draco’s eyes flickered briefly, and his hand twitched as if to reach for hers.

‘I wanted to, Hermione,’ he whispered. ‘But I – I couldn’t…’

She beat a fist against him again, but this time it was half-hearted, and she could feel tears spring into her eyes.

‘I can’t believe this is your idea of a plan. You’re such an idiot. Just let me help you!’

‘It’s too risky, Granger!’ Finally, Draco seemed to snap, his voice raising into a shout. ‘I’m not going to put you in any more danger than you already are!’

Hermione glared at him for a good half a minute, intending to lecture him on how only she could decide the limit to the danger she would put herself in, when something clicked as she watched his cool grey eyes.

‘Wait,’ she said, looking from Draco to Theo. Taking in their twin expressions, the careful guardedness they both had. ‘You’re both Occlumens, aren’t you?’

Theo’s eyebrows twitched upwards. ‘You always were the smart one, princess.’

She looked back to Draco and she could see that he looked wary at the expression on her face.

‘You could teach me. Teach me Occlumency. Then you can tell me everything, and you won’t need to Obliviate me. I can help you.’

Draco shook his head stubbornly, his arms crossed at his chest.

‘Draco, it’s not the worst idea,’ Theo said mildly.

‘Absolutely not,’ Draco huffed, still looking at Hermione. ‘It’s too dangerous for you. You’re being Obliviated and returned to the Order.’

Hermione actually stamped her foot in frustration.

‘Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, Malfoy,’ she hissed.

Draco’s eyes widened and she heard Theo laugh.

‘The fuck, Granger?’ Draco asked in bemusement.

‘Oh.’ Hermione felt her face heat up. ‘Muggle saying.’ She whipped her head back up and glared at him. ‘Let me help you, Draco,’ she repeated softly.

There was silence, and tension in the room.

‘Hermione.’ Draco sounded frustrated, and he ran a hand through his hair. ‘Learning Occlumency isn’t something you can learn from books. You’d have to let me – let one of us – into your head to train you.’

_Oh._ That did make it difficult. Hermione chewed on her lip as she thought it through. She had so many secrets that could lose the war for the Order if the wrong people found out about them.

Eventually she looked up, to find both Draco and Theo watching her patiently. It was a nice feeling, having them wait for her to sift through her thoughts and let her speak in her own time. So much time spent in Gryffindor and around Harry and Ron meant she was often talked over or hurried along with her thoughts.

‘Is there a way you can get into my head but… not look at my thoughts?’

Draco nodded slowly. ‘Kind of. The thoughts will still be there but I can make sure I don’t focus on them. Like when you look to the side instead of focusing directly at something. And if you make sure you’re thinking of something you don’t mind me seeing at the same time, it’s probably enough.’

Hermione shifted her weight as she considered. She was usually so cautious, but she couldn’t help herself. She did trust Draco. And Theo. Despite their _inane_ plan to Obliviate her.

Theo cleared his throat. ‘You know, we could give it a go. And Hermione, if at any point you’re not happy with what Draco may or may not see in your head, I’m sure he’d let you Obliviate him, and then we can Obliviate you, and no-one would be the wiser.’

‘I’ll stay for a week,’ Hermione decided. ‘Then we can all decide how we feel and whether this is going to work.’

She watched Draco and Theo exchange looks, and this time she knew they were using Legilimency to communicate wordlessly.

Eventually Draco spoke. ‘Okay, Granger. You’re on. One week.’

DRACO APPROACHED HERMIONE later that day with a pot of tea, placing a cup down and pouring her some. She had books sprawled all over the table in front of her, several cracked open, and it appeared that she was reading more than one at the same time.

‘Time for a break?’ he asked mildly, pushing the tea towards her.

She took it blindly, not pulling her eyes away from the books. They were all on Occlumency and Legilimency, pulled from the shelves of the small safe house library that he, Theo and Blaise had pulled together. Ever since lunch when Theo had left to head back to Malfoy Manor and the Dark Lord’s will, Hermione had been furiously studying all the theory she could find on mind magic.

Draco gently closed the book closest to her – _Living with Legilimens: Choose Your Minds Wisely_ – and finally she broke away from the table and gave him a slightly dazed look.

‘You can’t learn Occlumency with a tired mind, Granger,’ Draco said. ‘Come on. I’ve got something for you.’

Draco turned away from the table, a cup of tea in his own hand, and head towards the front door. He heard Hermione stand up and follow him, her arm sliding around his waist and her head leaning on his chest as they stood outside in the sunshine, enjoying the peace that surrounded the safe house.

‘What did you have for me?’ she asked distractedly.

Draco didn’t need to use Legilimency to know her mind was still in the books she had left on the table. Instead of answering he pulled her to face him, trying to memorise the flecks of gold in her brown eyes, the freckles that dusted the skin over her nose, the bow of her lips. The same lips that curved into a smile under his gaze, and yielded to his when he leaned in and kissed her.

She broke away from his mouth, her fingers wound into the wool of his green jumper, and pressed a kiss to his jawline.

‘Are you going to show me Occlumency today?’ she asked hesitantly.

Draco knew the books she’d read would have been frustratingly low on information. Learning Occlumency from them would be like trying to learn to fly a broomstick just from reading.

‘Later. First, I want you to try this.’

Draco reached into his back pocket and pulled out a wand that even now warmed at his touch. Almost reverently, he held it out in his palm for her, feeling as if he were handing her a piece of his own soul.

Hawthorn with a unicorn hair core, set into an ebony handle.

Hermione reached for it with a look of awe on her face, and he willingly passed the wand to her. Her fingers closed around the ebony, and with a smile she gave it a small wave and a shower of golden sparks flew from the tip.

‘I knew it would work for you,’ Draco said, his voice raw, and he took a step back, giving her the space to bond.

Another wave, and a flock of chattering canaries flew out and twirled around their heads. Another, and a bluebell flame like the ones he often conjured sparked to life, flickering as it hovered in front of them.

‘Draco, isn’t this your wand?’ Hermione asked.

He shrugged, moving behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist, leaning his chin on her shoulder and watching the dancing blue flame in front of them.

‘It was.’ She shifted under his embrace and he sighed. ‘It was until I got the Dark Mark. Then it started to… well, rebel against me I suppose. I have a different one now.’

‘So, this one is – what, mine now?’

‘I think it’s accepted you,’ he said, nodding towards the blue flame. ‘You already have my heart, Hermione. My old wand is the least of the gifts I can give you.’

With another wave, the blue flame disappeared. Hermione twisted in his arms, reaching up to kiss him again.

‘Thank you,’ she murmured, clutching the wand close to her chest. He kissed her forehead.

‘I love you, Hermione,’ he reminded her, and he felt the wand pressed between their bodies warm up at his words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Draco should have known he couldn't outwit Hermione, to be honest. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed the update! Seen as it's a holiday and we're all stuck with nowhere fun to go, I'm going to upload two chapters this week - keep your eyes peeled tomorrow for the next one! :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘I’m not going to last long,’ Draco said as she rubbed her nose against his temple. ‘Not with you.’
> 
> ‘I don’t want you to last long,’ Hermione said, her voice husky. ‘I want you to lose control, Draco. I don’t want you to be careful with me.’

THEY HAD THEIR first Occlumency practice that evening. They sat in the battered wingback chairs by the empty fireplace, knees touching as they regarded each other warily. Draco’s expression was closed off as usual, but this time he had at least explained that maintaining strong Occlumency walls helped with Legilimency, so his thoughts were less likely to spill over or colour her own.

Hermione clenched her hands into fists as Draco’s eyes trained onto hers, not flickering as he raised his wand and pointed it at her face. She gulped, preparing for the invasion of her mind. Was it still an invasion if she had invited it? Either way, she was nervous.

‘It’s not too late to say no,’ Draco said quietly.

Hermione let out a snort of laughter. ‘Nice try, Malfoy,’ she attempted to scoff. ‘You’re not getting out of this. I’m ready.’

His lips flickered into a smile for a brief moment, then he refocused his wand.

‘ _Legilimens_ ,’ he whispered, and Hermione was helpless as Draco slipped inside her mind.

It was as if just his presence alone was enough to bring all of the memories she most wished to hide to the forefront of her mind.

Flashes of her punching Draco in the face in third year. Leaning against Harry in the snow outside their tent. The pain as Dolohov’s curse struck her in the Department of Mysteries. Stumbling across Ron kissing Lavender. Slytherin’s locket. Being in her bed at Hogwarts, touching herself in the darkness as she thought of Malfoy’s grey eyes and sneering mouth. The front door to Grimmauld Place. Bellatrix Lestrange’s sadistic eyes. Watching Draco from across the hall in sixth year, her heart wrenching at his pale face and the pain in his eyes.

For a few moments the memories battered her mind, but Draco stayed where he was, not pushing, not probing, not _looking_ , just being there, a constant and calming presence. Hermione could feel her eyes scrunch up as she struggled to focus again, but she managed it. The thoughts backed up, not disappearing but relegated at least to background noise.

She was able then to focus on Draco instead, feel his presence in her head and what he was trying to show her. He showed her how to draw up barriers, how to tamper down persistent thoughts, how to compartmentalise different memories. And all the time, she felt the restraint he was putting into ignoring the persistent memories that kept trying to make themselves known.

Sometime later – Hermione thought it had been nearly an hour, but she couldn’t be sure – Draco left her mind again.

It was like waking from a dream, and she winced as her eyes focused on the world around her again. Draco was pale, a soft sheen of perspiration at his temples, and he let out a long, shaky breath.

‘You okay?’ he asked, leaning forward and brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

She nodded, unable to trust her voice for a moment as she collected herself.

‘Did you – did you see any of it? My thoughts?’ she asked hesitantly.

He shifted uncomfortably. ‘Believe it or not, I managed to not see most of them,’ he said, running a hand through his hair.

She noticed his own eyes were very carefully blank, and she knew Draco well enough by now to realise that meant he was struggling with heightened emotions.

‘Most of them,’ she repeated slowly.

Draco’s eyes locked onto hers, and for a split second he let her in. She gasped as she saw the molten hot anger that raged within him. When he spoke, however, his voice was ice cold.

‘Let’s just say if I ever see Dolohov again he won’t be lucky enough to get Avada’d straight away.’

‘Draco.’ Hermione placed her hands on either side of his face, gently gripping his jaw and forcing him to look at her. ‘Listen to me. I don’t want you to ever kill for me, okay?’ He huffed out an irritated breath and tried to pull away, but she didn’t let go. ‘Draco,’ she hissed. ‘I’m being serious.’

His eyes flashed at her. ‘Granger…’ he growled. ‘How about we compromise. I’ll only ever kill two people for you.’

Antonin Dolohov and Bellatrix Lestrange. He didn’t have to say their names for her to know who he meant.

‘C’mon, Granger,’ Draco said, his eyes softening and his hands reaching up to gently bring hers down from his face. ‘Are you telling me you wouldn’t do the same for me?’

Would she kill for Draco? They were in a war, after all. A long time ago she’d accepted that she would kill for Harry, even as he insisted on only using non-lethal spells on his own enemies. If Draco was in danger, or being tortured, would she kill for him?

How could she not.

‘At least don’t go _looking_ for them, please, Draco,’ she whispered. ‘Don’t put yourself in harm’s way on purpose.’

His fierce gaze burned into her.

‘I’ll never let anyone hurt you again, Hermione,’ he promised.

She sighed and stroked his cheek, her heart aching.

‘I’m not going to let anyone hurt you either, Draco. We’re in this together.’

His eyes darkened and he leaned into her, his lips hovering above hers.

‘Together,’ he said, the promise evident in his voice.

Then his mouth claimed hers, and his hands pulled her to her feet without breaking the kiss. She melted further into his arms, gasping for breath when he did pull away from her, their noses still touching.

‘You’re coming with me,’ he breathed against her lips, his voice low, and then he swept her up in his arms and marched them towards the bedroom.

DRACO THREW HERMIONE down on the bed and crawled up to join her, kissing her again as if he could pour all of his emotions into this physical affection. His skin felt on fire where she touched him, and he felt himself harden as she whimpered below him.

‘Gods, Hermione,’ he breathed against her, eyes closed as he relished being so close to her. She reached up and kissed his neck, her teeth gently dragging against his skin, and he lowered himself onto his elbows, pressing his body closer to hers. ‘What did I ever do to deserve you.’

He nuzzled into her neck, and she snaked her arms around his waist, pulling him down on top of her. Her hips rolled against his pelvis and he inadvertently groaned, knowing that she would be able to feel his dick pressed hard against her.

‘Draco,’ she whispered into his ear, his name like honey on her lips, her hands trailing down his back and gripping his ass.

He ran his hands down her stomach, trailing over the waist of her jeans, shivering as she bit down on his neck. He kissed her collarbone, traced the curves of her body with his nose, and deftly unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them down her thighs and off her legs.

When they were free she hooked her legs around his and wrapped her hands in his hair, kissing him forcefully. He slid his tongue into her mouth, drawing a delicious moan from her.

He let his hand wander down to her underwear, tracing the mound of her cunt before sliding his fingers under the fabric and into her. She was already so wet, and she sighed and rolled her hips against him, forcing his fingers deeper into her.

He gently fucked her with his fingers and let his thumb slide against her clit, and she responded by reaching down and brushing her hand against his cock.

He dropped his head against hers and worked her slowly as she ripped open his trousers and pushed them over his hips. Then her fingers brushed against the skin of his dick.

‘Fuck, Granger,’ he managed to bite out.

She didn’t reply but wrapped her hand around him and started to gently thrust his cock up and down. His eyes closed, he relished the feeling of her heat and wetness around his fingers as well as the tightness of her grip on him.

‘I’m not going to last long,’ he said as she rubbed her nose against his temple. ‘Not with you.’

‘I don’t want you to last long,’ Hermione said, her voice husky. ‘I want you to lose control, Draco. I don’t want you to be careful with me.’

 _Fuck_. He felt his own fingers fumble against her cunt, and he mentally shook himself. No way was he going to come before he had Hermione coming apart under his fingers.

Draco drew on his Occlumency. Not much, just enough to keep him in control. He focused on her, drawing his fingers out of her and concentrating on her clit, watching the little movements and the sounds she made to guide him.

In a few moments she started to tense, her hand on his dick faltering, and he could feel himself smiling in triumph as she arched under his hands, her eyes fluttering shut and her mouth falling open as she gasped in pleasure.

Draco dipped his head and claimed her mouth with his own, slowly stopping his movements against her as she took a deep breath and her hand around him tightened once more.

Hermione pushed him down so he was lying on his side. She pressed up against him, her tongue sliding into his mouth for a wet, open-mouthed kiss, and he felt the familiar tightening in his stomach, and the rush of blood as he started to come.

‘Holy fuck,’ he swore as he came hard, painting them both with his come as he did. He lay against her, his breathing laboured and his skin covered in sweat, for a few blissful moments as he floated down from his high. Then he waved a lazy hand, wandlessly cleaning the mess from them both and then pulling her into his arms.

‘I know it’s silly and that in a few days reality is going to come crashing down again,’ Hermione’s voice was a whisper as she spoke against his chest, her fingertips tracing the lines of muscle on his stomach. ‘But right now, I feel like I could stay here forever.’

‘Here?’ he asked gently, kissing her forehead and brushing the loose hair from her face.

She looked up at him and smiled, making Draco’s stomach lurch and his heart flutter. ‘In your arms, Draco,’ she clarified. ‘I never want you to let me go.’

‘I never will, Granger,’ he promised. ‘I never will.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the two chapters this time round! Back to Friday updates again now :) 
> 
> Thanks for all the comments and kudos so far, I'm glad some of you are enjoying this story! I really appreciate all your feedback <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘What happened?’ Draco asked, his hand on Theo’s arm tightening. ‘Are you okay?’
> 
> Theo didn’t answer, just grimaced in pain, and Hermione took his hand in hers.
> 
> ‘Let’s get you inside.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small content warning for this chapter: there is a non-graphic reference to attempted sexual assault (not of Hermione). For more details see the end notes.

IT WAS THREE more days before Theo was able to next get back to the house. He stumbled through the wards mid-morning, as Hermione was sitting out on a weather-warped wooden bench on the porch, nursing a cup of tea and enjoying the weak sunshine. She gasped when she saw Theo approach, putting her cup on the ground and rushing up to him.

‘Gods, Theo, are you okay?’ she asked as she opened her arms for him to fall into.

He sighed and leaned heavily on her, his dark hair tickling her face as he buried his face in her shoulder.

Draco joined them within minutes, swinging his arm around Theo as well. They let him stand in their joined embrace for as long as he needed, and after a few minutes Theo pulled back. Draco hissed and swore under his breath when he saw the black eye and the cuts on his face that had alarmed Hermione.

‘What happened?’ Draco asked, his hand on Theo’s arm tightening. ‘Are you okay?’ 

Theo didn’t answer, just grimaced in pain, and Hermione took his hand in hers. 

‘Let’s get you inside.’ 

Theo sat at the kitchen table, Hermione healing his cuts with Draco’s old wand while Draco made a fresh pot of tea and added extra sugar to Theo’s.

Clasping his cup in his hands, Theo managed a weak smile at Draco, now sat opposite him, while Hermione healed his final cut. 

‘I expect it looks a lot worse than it is,’ Theo said with a weak attempt at humour.

Draco gave him a hard look, and Theo sighed and dropped his eyes.

‘They were going to hurt Blaise,’ Theo said in a quiet voice. ‘He’d been on a mission with Rowle and a few others, and they Apparated back to the Manor when I was there. They were all high off whatever the Dark Lord had them doing out there, and were looking for some fun. You know how they’ve had their fucking eyes on him since the summer.’

Draco’s face had settled into a look of ice-cold fury, while Theo’s was open and anguished, his blue eyes shadowed and pained. Hermione, sitting between them, reached out with both of her hands, trying to give both of them any comfort she could. 

‘Blaise had already been Incarceroused and they were fucking groping him by the time I got in there. I didn’t even think to use my wand, I just launched myself at them like an animal. Blaise got free when they were distracted, and I yelled at him to get out. He ran for it, and, well - ’ Theo gestured to his now-healed face. 

‘Theo,’ Draco leaned over the table. ‘Did they – did they _touch_ you, hurt you in any other way?’ 

Theo laughed coldly. ‘No. They don’t think I’m as pretty as Blaise. Plus they’re too scared of my bastard father to try anything like that.’ 

‘Where is Blaise now?’ Hermione asked in concern. ‘Is he safe?’ 

Theo nodded, the relief evident on his face. ‘He’s in France with Narcissa. I wanted him out of the country for a few days while this blows over.’ 

‘Fuckers,’ Draco swore, standing abruptly from the table and stalking over to the kitchen window, gripping the edges of the sink as he looked outside. 

‘Theo,’ Hermione closed her eyes, trying not to imagine the Death Eaters beating him bloody with their fists. ‘Please, the Order would protect all of you. Please just come with me.’ 

Theo smiled sadly at her, and Draco’s head dropped. Draco turned back to face them, leaning back against the sink with his arms crossed. Theo glanced up at him and they shared a long, resigned look. 

‘We made our choice to join the Dark Lord, Hermione. If we fully defect to the Order we’ll have to stay in hiding and won’t be able to do anything to help the war effort.’ Theo said. 

‘This is the only way we can really help, by trying to weaken it from the inside. We knew what we were signing up for.’ Draco added. 

‘Well, then,’ Hermione set her jaw determinedly. She knew better than to argue with the two of them. They were more stubborn than she was when they had an idea in their heads. ‘I’d better get practicing my Occlumency. Because I’m sure as hell not leaving you to do this alone.’ 

She stood from the table, dropped a kiss on Theo’s head, gave Draco a hug, and then stalked off to sit back outside and practice. 

LATER THAT AFTERNOON Theo came out to join her. He’d eaten, bathed and taken a long nap, and with the healing she’d carried out he now looked like his old self. 

‘How’s it been going?’ he asked lightly, sitting on the warped wooden bench next to her and nodding at the copy of _Living with Legilimens_ open on her lap. 

‘Okay, I think,’ she said. ‘I’ve been practicing all the time, and Draco trains with me three times a day.’ 

‘ _Trains_ with you, eh?’ Theo waggled his eyebrows. ‘Is that what the kids are calling it nowadays.’ 

Hermione batted him lightly on the arm. 

‘You’re obviously feeling better,’ she sniped at him, and he grinned back. 

‘C’mon princess,’ he said, twisting his body on the bench so he faced her. ‘I can give it a go with you, if you like?’ 

Theo’s expression was eager, his eyes wide. Hermione hesitated. It was one thing to let Draco in her mind, but Theo? Rather than answer, she asked a question that had been bothering her since she’d been brought to the safe house. 

‘Before this week, I don’t think we’ve ever even spoken to each other, Theo,’ she started, and was startled into silence when he violently shook his head. 

‘Not true,’ he protested. ‘I asked you to pass me the lacewings once, in Potions class in fifth year.’ 

‘Right,’ she replied slowly, a bemused grin on her face. ‘Okay, well apart from the lacewing incident then. But you look at me like… like you really know me. You call me princess. What am I missing?’ 

‘Oh, that,’ he said, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck. Then his eyes met hers again. ‘Have you tried Legilimency yet?’ 

‘Wait – what? Don’t change the subject, Theo,’ Hermione groaned.

He shook his head. ‘No, no, I mean – well, I could show you. If you want.’ 

There was a pause while he waited for her answer. 

‘You’d trust me in your mind?’ she asked quietly.

Theo shrugged, and when he spoke it was without a trace of arrogance. ‘To be honest, my Occlumency is good enough that you’ll only see what I’m willing to show. But princess, I do trust you.’ 

He held his hands out, palms up, in an inviting gesture. ‘I know you know the spell. Whenever you’re ready.’ 

Hermione nodded and raised her wand, and spoke the spell that let her into Theo’s mind. 

It was like walking the halls of a very well-ordered archive. Everything was in its place, and carefully hidden away. Towards the centre of the hall was a glowing light, a bit like that of a Pensieve, and Hermione reached towards it and found herself in one of Theo’s memories. 

It was more like a collection of his memories, actually. Starting in fourth year, all with him and Draco, sometimes with Blaise there as well. And they were all of Draco talking about her, of something she’d done or said, something he’d noticed, something that had caught his attention. Theo listened to all of them, gradually drawing up a picture of Hermione despite never really speaking to her.

As the years progressed, and Draco looked more and more haunted, the memories became more personal. Draco talked about how scared he was for her, how he was sure Potter and Weasley were going to get her killed, how she’d barely survived an attack at the Ministry. Then eventually it was Draco admitting to Theo that he loved her, that he’d do anything for her, that he would always save her first if it came to it.

And through all of the memories, as Draco’s feelings towards her got stronger and stronger, so did Theo’s. When the memories finally reached to her arriving at the safe house, and Theo seeing that she was safe, Hermione understood.

Draco was like a brother to Theo. Draco loved Hermione. Therefore, Hermione was like a sister to Theo. They may never have interacted at Hogwarts, but Theo’s love for Draco was so strong that it had spilled over to her as well.

Hermione carefully withdrew from Theo’s mind, and she was surprised to find a tear fall onto her cheek as she did. Theo reached up and gently wiped it away with his thumb.

When he spoke it was with a smile. ‘You’ve been one of us for much longer than you’ve known, princess.’

THEO TESTED HER Occlumency shields later on, his presence in her mind firm but gentle, and she was able to hold him back fairly well. However when he really pushed hard he was able to breach her barriers, and to Hermione’s mortification the times she’d spent with Draco were the images her brain decided to show Theo.

He chuckled as he pulled out of her mind, ruffling her hair affectionately as she covered her face with her hands. 

‘Don’t worry, I’ve seen and done worse before,’ Theo teased her. 

‘What’s going on out here?’ Draco asked as he peered out of the front door and watched them curiously. 

‘Theo was testing my shields,’ Hermione said as she lowered her hands from her face. 

‘Yeah?’ Draco grinned as he walked towards them and pulled Hermione into his side. ‘And what did Theo get an unexpected glimpse of?’ 

Hermione groaned and hid her face in his chest instead, and he rested his hand on her back. 

‘How did she do, Theo?’ Draco asked as she carried on hiding. 

‘Not bad,’ Theo said, his voice serious now. ‘Enough to keep out a casual search but not good enough yet for a concentrated effort.’ 

Draco nodded, rubbing circles on her back, his body warm and comforting against hers. 

‘Well, you’ve got a few more days yet, Granger,’ he said to her hidden face and she nodded into his chest. ‘Theo, you staying for food?’ 

Hermione finally looked up again and saw Theo shaking his head. 

‘I want to be with Blaise tonight, then I have to be back at the Manor first thing.’ 

Draco nodded. ‘Stay safe, Theo. We’ll see you in a few days.’ 

Hermione stepped back and the two men hugged one another firmly, then Theo turned to her. 

‘Good seeing you again, princess,’ he smiled, pulling her into his arms. 

‘Please be careful, Theo,’ she murmured. 

With a small salute to them both, Theo turned and walked towards the boundary of the wards. Draco put his arm around Hermione and they watched silently as Theo stepped beyond the wards and with an elegant pirouette and a swish of his wand disappeared with a crack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning details: In this chapter Theo explains how Blaise is restrained by two Death Eaters who touch him inappropriately and intend to assault him further. Blaise is rescued before it goes any further.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘You couldn’t sleep either?’ Draco asked gently as she approached the bed, pulling back the covers and waving for her to climb in. 
> 
> Hermione shook her head with a grimace. 
> 
> ‘Not tonight,’ she said, pressing herself against him and relishing the warmth and the solidness of his body as he pulled the covers up around them both and wrapped his arms around her.

HERMIONE HAD BEEN lying in bed for hours, staring at the ceiling with sleepless eyes. It was dark outside, the sliver of the moon barely giving any light, and every time she tried to close her eyes to get some rest, the image of Theo’s bloodied face swam in her mind. With a sigh and a shake of her head she threw her legs over the mattress and climbed out of bed.

The safe house was quiet and dark, no moon to light the dusty shadows, as Hermione crept over the floorboards and towards Draco’s room. She gently pushed the door open, trying not to make too much noise, but when she looked up she could see the faint glint of Draco’s eyes as he watched her.

‘You couldn’t sleep either?’ he asked gently as she approached the bed, pulling back the covers and waving for her to climb in.

She shook her head with a grimace.

‘Not tonight,’ she said, pressing herself against him and relishing the warmth and the solidness of his body as he pulled the covers up around them both and wrapped his arms around her.

She nudged his nose with her own and kissed him hungrily, desperate to feel something other than worry and helplessness. Draco’s mouth opened welcomingly beneath hers, and she unceremoniously pushed his pyjamas down from his body, leaving him completely naked.

‘Hermione,’ he said weakly, and with a silent, wandless piece of magic she vanished her own clothes completely, leaving her naked in his arms.

‘I want you, Draco,’ she said simply.

‘Hermione,’ he said again, his voice exasperated. ‘We _can’t_ … what if we do this, your first time, and then I have to Obliviate you and send you away?’

Despite his words he kissed her hungrily, his fingers pinching her nipples and sending tingling shivers down her spine. She let him bite firmly on her neck, sucking until she knew he would leave a bruise, and then pushed him away gently.

‘In case I can’t master Occlumency, you mean?’ she managed to get out.

He murmured his assent against her neck, and she pushed him away from her.

‘Draco Malfoy,’ she said with as much imperious arrogance as she could summon. She saw his eyes widen and his eyebrow arch at the tone of her voice. ‘You’ve known me for seven years now. Have you ever seen me fail at anything before?’

Wordlessly he shook his head, a slow grin curling on his lips.

‘Then _why_ ,’ she breathed, pulling him close to her again and thrusting her hips against his, savouring the whimper that fell from his lips. ‘Why do you think I’d start failing now?’

‘Fuck, Granger,’ he moaned. ‘You’re terrifying, you know that?’

‘Terrifyingly brilliant, you mean?’ she asked innocently as she reached down and took hold of his cock.

Draco’s eyes fluttered closed, but his grin widened.

‘Exactly what I mean,’ he agreed, pushing her onto her back.

He pushed her thighs apart and settled on his stomach between her legs, kissing her belly gently and then moving his mouth to the inside of her thigh, kissing and then biting the sensitive skin there.

Hermione flinched against him, feeling herself quiver in anticipation, but she didn’t want Draco to distract her. She wanted him, and as far as she was concerned, she had _earned_ him.

‘Draco,’ she huffed, squirming against him. His hands came to her hips and he locked her in place, his grey eyes looking sternly at her.

‘If you want me to fuck you, Hermione,’ he said in a voice as smooth as silk, ‘then first you have to let me make you come.’

Well, how could she say no to that? Hermione dropped her head back onto the pillow and closed her eyes as Draco’s hands moved down to her thighs again. He pushed them further apart, exposing her completely to him, but his wanton groan of desire stopped any kind of embarrassment she might otherwise have felt.

He placed a gentle kiss on her cunt, and another on her clit, before his tongue tasted her, licking against her and then curling inside of her. He spent a minute or so just tasting her, licking her, feasting on her, before moving up and trailing his tongue over her clit and then sucking it gently into his mouth.

She twitched against him, her mind slowly unravelling with the pleasure he was giving her. She had enough time to think that once this stupid war was over she would do whatever it took to have Draco Malfoy’s head between her thighs as often as possible, and then he licked her again with a hard, firm, swipe, and she felt herself tense and shudder and explode into orgasm under his tongue.

As she floated back to earth she realised Draco was hovering over her, brushing a stray lock of hair back behind her ear. He was smiling down at her, looking slightly awed, and she pulled him down for a long, lingering kiss.

‘We don’t have to do anything else,’ he said when she pulled away, and she laughed and pulled him down between her legs again.

His dick, straining and hard, nestled between her folds and Draco kept his silver eyes locked on hers.

‘I don’t want to hurt you,’ he murmured desperately, and she stroked his chest, shaking her head.

‘You won’t,’ she said, simply. She opened her legs a bit further, feeling the head of him braced against her entrance, and she smiled up at him. ‘I’m ready, Draco,’ she assured him. ‘I’m ready for you.’

Draco nodded, and he reached over to where his wand lay on the bedside table, casting a contraceptive charm over her. Then he ever so slowly started to slide himself into her. Hermione held her breath as he did. It didn’t hurt, not at all, but it did feel strange, being slowly filled by him.

When he was finally fully seated in her, his forehead pressed against hers, she felt her heart beat loudly in her chest, her skin on fire where he touched her. Draco’s eyes fluttered open and he let out a shaky breath against her cheek.

‘You feel…’ he cut off briefly, moaning as she tentatively rolled her hips against him, relishing the feeling of him deep inside her. ‘Fuck, Hermione,’ he breathed. ‘You feel amazing.’

‘So do you,’ she agreed, wrapping her arms around his waist and holding him close.

He started to move against her, pulling almost all the way out and then gently sliding himself back in, burying himself in her with a shaky breath.

Hermione let her head fall back again and Draco lowered his lips to her breasts, kissing her nipples as he carried on fucking her, building up to a strong rhythm.

‘Fuck,’ he breathed against her breasts, and Hermione gasped as his fingers reached down to where their bodies joined and found her clit. ‘I want to make you come again,’ he murmured, swirling his fingers around her clit. ‘Want you to come with me.’

She nodded, in understanding and agreement, and Draco fucked her as his talented fingers brought her closer and closer to a second release. In no time at all, she felt her cunt clench around Draco’s cock, and arched her back helplessly into him.

‘Draco…’ she gasped, and his fingers didn’t stop as she cried out and came around him, his groans joining hers as her cunt carried on squeezing him and he thrust hard into her a few more times before crying out her name and burying himself deep inside her.

They lay locked together, their skin hot and sweaty against each other, and as Draco’s dick began to soften he gently pulled himself free and rolled her into his arms on their sides. His silver eyes watched her carefully and she sleepily smiled and leaned forward to kiss him.

‘That was perfect, Draco,’ she said. ‘So perfect.’

Hermione thought the smile he gave her in return would have been enough for her to conjure ten Patronus’ at once.

‘COME ON.’

DRACO was in front of Hermione as she sat reading yet another book on dark magic the next day. He pulled the book out of her hand and tossed it on the sofa, before taking her hands in his and pulling her up. She stumbled into him and he smiled and kissed her, his lips on hers far too briefly.

‘What are we doing?’ Hermione asked as Draco walked them outside.

‘We’re going to duel,’ he said lightly. ‘I need to keep my practice up, and I want to make sure you’re up to scratch before I let you back out into that war.’

‘I suppose it would be good to try out my new wand,’ Hermione commented lightly, pulling it from her pocket and twirling it experimentally in her fingers.

Draco smiled as he faced her, drawing his own wand and raising it in her direction before sinking into an elegant duelling stance, his wand arm raised over his head.

‘Sparks and shields only,’ Draco said as Hermione faced him, mirroring his stance.

She nodded shortly in agreement, and without warning Draco slashed his wand arm down, red sparks flying from the tip. Hermione had already raised a wordless Protego, the sparks bouncing harmlessly off her shield, and she darted to the side and fired green sparks in Draco’s direction, watching with a grin as they bounced off his own silent shield.

They were pretty evenly matched. Both were more than competent in wordless magic, and although Draco tried to gently prod Hermione’s mind with his Legilimency to predict her actions, her Occlumency was by now strong enough to withstand the half-focused effort he made as she harassed him with her green sparks. He quickly gave up and withdrew from the edges of her mind.

‘Nice try, Malfoy,’ she laughed, diving to the ground and rolling on her shoulder to avoid the red sparks that he aimed at her with a flash of a smile.

She sprung to her feet again, a Protego back in place, as he crashed down onto her again and again with his red sparks. Hermione held her shield, backing gradually away under his relentless attack.

Draco was having too much fun duelling to pay attention to where they had circled to, but as Hermione took a half-step back to avoid his next attack he realised with horror that she was about to step outside the wards.

‘Stop - ’ he tried to warn her, but she clearly thought he was tricking her and took another half-step back. One more and she would be beyond the safety of the boundary.

Instead Draco hit her shield with a silent Bombarda, and her eyes widened as the force of the attack downed her Protego. Before she could react he’d hit her with a Petrificus and then a Levicorpus.

Hermione found herself frozen in place and floating safely in the air. Draco was breathing heavily as he gently levitated her away from the ward boundary, setting her down on the grass closer to the house and releasing her from the spells.

‘I’m so sorry, Hermione,’ he said, pulling her into his arms. ‘You were about to step out of the wards, and I panicked…’

She made no move to escape his embrace, and he gently stroked her hair down her back as she pressed a kiss against his chest.

‘It’s okay, Draco. I’m safe,’ she said quietly. He held her a little tighter and then she gently pushed him away. ‘And don’t think this means you won,’ she added. She used her wand to draw a large, circular boundary in the grass around them, well within the wards.

‘Best of three?’ she said with a cheeky smile, raising her wand hand over her head once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks as ever for reading! You lot are the best <3


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘I hear you’ve been learning Occlumency?’ Blaise asked.
> 
> Hermione nodded.
> 
> ‘Good,’ he said, and before she could respond, Blaise Zabini had barged into her head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the slight delay in getting this chapter up! We're getting close to the end now, hope you're all excited! As always thanks so much for reading and sticking with me through this story :) 
> 
> Huge thanks to [Grace Lou Freebush](https://archiveofourown.org/users/grace_lou_freebush/pseuds/grace_lou_freebush) for giving this chapter a read through and keeping me on track! <3

Hermione was making herself and Draco a cup of tea two days later when she heard the faint pop of Apparition from beyond the wards. There was a shimmer as the wards let someone in, and by the time Draco opened the front door, Theo was already dashing through, his eyes panicked as he looked past his friend, searching for Hermione instead.

‘Hermione!’ He was breathing heavily, obviously having run from wherever he had been.

Hermione rushed over, her heart beating uncomfortably in her chest, and she vaguely realised Blaise Zabini had also stepped into the safe house when Theo grabbed her forearms, turning her body to his. His blue eyes were dark and serious.

‘Hermione, where are your parents?’ he asked urgently.

‘Theo, what the fuck - ’ Draco’s protestations were cut off by Theo shaking Hermione slightly, ignoring the low growl of rage from Draco, and repeating his question.

‘Where are your parents?’

Hermione looked from Theo’s wide eyes to Blaise’s closed, serious expression. Her heart beat uncomfortably strongly in her chest. 

‘M-my parents?’ she managed to stutter.

Draco moved closer to her, and her breathing steadied momentarily as she felt the solid presence of him behind her, his hand reassuring on her back.

‘Theo?’ Draco said.

Theo dropped Hermione’s arms. ‘Your parents are in danger, Hermione. The Dark Lord has decided he wants them, wants to use them to lure Draco out of hiding. The Death Eaters are looking for them now. We need to get to them first.’

Draco swore under his breath, and the hand at Hermione’s back twitched. Her first thought was one of blind panic, and then she let out a trembling breath, reaching for Draco with one hand and Theo with the other.

‘It’s alright,’ she assured them quietly. ‘My parents are safe.’

‘If the Death Eaters are after them, they won’t be safe, Hermione,’ Draco said in a voice straining to stay calm. ‘Theo’s right, we need to get to them. Now.’

Hermione shook her head, and heard the huff of frustration from Draco. ‘You don’t understand. Before – before I joined the Order properly and left Hogwarts – I Obliviated them. Completely. They don’t know about me, their real names, anything. They’re on the other side of the world, and I’m the only person who knows where they are. To find my parents, the Death Eaters will have to go through me.’

There was a shocked silence in the room, but the tension slowly bled away. Theo slumped as the adrenaline trickled from his body, and Hermione noticed Blaise reach out and squeeze his hand in reassurance. Draco, still behind her, raised his hands to her shoulders and dropped a kiss on her hair.

‘Merlin, Hermione,’ he murmured against her. ‘I had no idea…’ 

Draco trailed off and Hermione shrugged awkwardly beneath his hands, not wanting to talk about it. Draco must have picked up on her reticence as he stayed silent, but his hands stroked her shoulders gently before he dropped them and moved to her side.

‘Seriously, Hermione, you’ve saved their lives,’ Theo agreed weakly, looking more and more shaky now that the threat was over.

Theo moved past her and headed to the kitchen, taking the cup of tea she’d made for Draco and drinking from it. Blaise walked forward, his dark eyes inscrutable, and gave her a slight nod.

‘Granger.’

‘Zabini,’ she responded warily.

Just because Blaise was technically one of the good guys now, didn’t mean he wasn’t going to be an arse. Hermione saw his eyes flicker from her to Draco and then back again.

‘I hear you’ve been learning Occlumency?’ Blaise asked.

Hermione nodded.

‘Good,’ he said, and before she could respond, Blaise Zabini had barged into her head.

Hermione winced at the onslaught; this was nothing like the gentle Legilimency that Draco had been training her with, or even the firm presence of Theo when he had tested her.

It was an attack, meant to probe her weaknesses and take her by surprise. Hermione’s shields were already up, however, and she was determined not to let this abusive Slytherin win.

She focused her magic and attention and felt herself smile grimly with satisfaction as he crashed again and again against her thoughts, unable to breach any of them. After what seemed like an eternity, Blaise was gone as quickly as he had come, her shields still intact.

Before Hermione could recover from Blaise withdrawing from her mind, Draco had him pushed up against the wall, his elbow digging into his throat, his eyes angry and dark.

‘What the fuck, Zabini,’ Draco hissed through clenched teeth.

He and Blaise were about the same height and Blaise was clearly not intimidated in the slightest. He laughed and raised his hands in mock defeat.

‘You know the element of surprise is the only way to truly test an Occlumens’ ability, mate,’ Blaise said with a smirk, pushing Draco back and off him. Blaise looked over again to Hermione. ‘Good work, Granger. I couldn’t find anything. I’m impressed.’

And with that Blaise turned from them and wandered over to where Theo was still standing in the kitchen, the cup frozen, half-raised to his lips, as he watched the altercation with wide eyes.

Draco walked over to Hermione, standing in front of her, his grey eyes watching her carefully.

‘Are you okay?’

Draco’s question pulled Hermione back to the present, and she realised she was okay. 

That was the test, and she had passed it. If Blaise hadn’t been able to find anything, that meant she was a good enough Occlumens to keep this secret. She could help them. She didn’t have to forget Draco. She looked up to him with a smile and reached up to gently brush her lips against his.

‘I’m fine,’ she whispered.

DRACO HID A grin when he walked out of the kitchen into the living area and found Blaise and Theo entwined around each other on the sofa, Blaise with his eyes shut and his head thrown back as Theo kissed his neck. Draco walked past them, collapsing with a deliberate thump into the armchair by the empty fire with a book.

‘It’s like being back in the Slytherin common room all over again,’ Draco muttered to himself just loud enough for them to hear.

Really, though, Draco felt more content than he had done for a while. Knowing that everyone he cared about was safe just now. That Hermione wasn’t off on some crazy mission, that Blaise was away from the unwelcome advances of the Death Eaters, that Theo wasn’t currently taking part in one of the Dark Lord’s plans. He wished they could all stay here, safe and together, until the war was over.

Blaise smirked at him as Theo leaned into Blaise’s body, Blaise’s arm resting along his shoulders while he played with Theo’s hair. Draco couldn’t hide his return smile, which didn’t falter when Hermione burst out of their bedroom like a startled hippogriff, her hair wild and her eyes bright. She stopped when she saw all three of them looking at her.

‘I did it,’ she said, her voice triumphant.

Draco’s smile widened. ‘Did what, sweetheart?’ he asked as he held his hand out for her.

Hermione crossed the room and climbed into his lap. For once Hermione had left her hair loose and Draco had to push her hair to one side to stop it from suffocating him.

She gave him an apologetic look but the side of her mouth twitched like she was trying not to laugh. He pulled her in closer so he could bury his face into the side of her neck, breathing in the now-familiar scent of her.

Hermione smiled and held out her hand towards Theo and Blaise, palm open and up. In it sat three golden Galleons.

Blaise raised a perfectly arched eyebrow at her. ‘I don’t really need any more Galleons, to be honest, Granger,’ he said haughtily while Theo lightly slapped him. 

Hermione shook her head in exasperation and tossed him one of the coins. Blaise caught it easily, and so did Theo when she threw the next one. She turned in Draco’s arms and handed him the final one. He took it from her, still confused about what she was showing them. Hermione smiled at him and took out her wand, tapping on the coin he held in his hand.

‘Woah,’ said Theo.

Draco looked over and saw both him and Blaise staring down at their coins.

‘They’ve warmed up,’ Blaise explained, holding his up to the light.

Hermione nodded in satisfaction, and Draco looked at his closely, realising what she’d done.

‘You’ve put the Protean Charm on them,’ Draco said as he looked at the message Hermione had charmed onto the coin. 

She nodded. ‘You can use these to communicate safely with each other instead of having to sneak off and use dead drops or worry about learning how to cast a Patronus.’

Theo and Blaise were both giving her a slightly stunned look, but Draco wasn’t surprised in the slightest.

‘I did them for Harry and the others back in sixth year,’ Hermione explained with a shrug. ‘The Protean charm is tricky but you should be able to get the hang of using them quickly.’

‘I’ve only ever got the charm to work across two objects,’ Draco admitted.

‘These are brilliant, princess,’ Theo said, putting his into his pocket.

‘It will definitely make things easier for us,’ Blaise agreed, still looking closely at his.

‘I have one too,’ Hermione added, drawing her own coin from her pocket. ‘So, no excuses if you need my help at any time, okay?’ she said sternly, looking from Theo and Blaise to Draco.

‘Of course, princess,’ Theo said with a gentle smile. He gave Blaise a pointed look and pulled them both off the sofa. ‘We have to be back at the Manor by nightfall,’ Theo said, mainly to Draco. ‘So if you’ll excuse us…’ 

Theo dragged Blaise off towards their bedroom while Draco stifled a laugh. When he looked back to Hermione she was watching him carefully, her limpid brown eyes serious.

‘I mean it, Draco,’ she said to him, pushing him away gently as he leaned in to kiss her. ‘Please trust me.’

‘Of course I trust you, Hermione,’ Draco replied. ‘I just don’t want you getting hurt again.’

She gave him a stern look, crossing her arms as she did.

‘We’re in a war, Draco, whether we like it or not. Let’s try and win it as quickly as we can.’

She finally let him kiss her, let him relish the fleeting moment of her being in his arms. Now that her Occlumency was good enough, he knew she’d be preparing to leave the safe house soon. Sure enough, as she pulled away from the kiss but snuggled up to him, she sighed as she played with a loose thread in his jumper. 

‘I’m going to send a Patronus to Neville tonight,’ she said quietly.

Draco held her close, enjoying her warmth against him. Even though he knew it was coming, that she would have to leave him, his heart ached to keep her close to him. To keep her safe. As if sensing his thoughts, Hermione wriggled in his arms and leaned up to place a kiss against his neck.

‘One day, hopefully soon, this will all be over,’ Hermione said, her voice so full of fervour that Draco almost believed it could happen. ‘And we are going to find each other again, and nothing will come between us again.’

Draco smiled and stroked a hand through her wild curls. ‘That sounds good to me, Granger.’


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘Expecto Patronum.’ It was almost a whisper, a prayer of a spell. Draco felt a rush of warmth. He felt Hermione shift and move slightly away from him.
> 
> ‘Draco…’ she breathed, and he could hear the smile in her voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well dear readers... this is pretty much it! The final chapter! There will be an epilogue next week, but thank you for reading this far and for coming on this journey with me :) Hope you enjoy...

‘THEO WILL BE here this evening,’ Draco announced as she walked into the kitchen a couple of days later. Draco was scrambling some eggs as the kettle boiled. ‘We need to do a series of Apparition jumps to get you close enough to the Order’s safe house.’ 

The plan was to take Hermione to Wales. She’d sent a Patronus to Neville Longbottom, who’d been in touch with someone at the Order, and sent his own non-corporeal Patronus in return with instructions to meet up with an undetermined Order member deep in the Brecon hills. 

Draco wasn’t particularly happy with the plan as it meant she’d have to do the last jump alone, but it was all they had. He would just have to trust in Hermione’s own brilliance, and that the Order knew they didn’t stand a chance of winning the war without her brains behind it. They’d do anything to bring her back safely. 

Hermione moved behind Draco and wrapped her arms around him, leaning into his back. 

‘I’m going to miss you,’ she said, her voice muffled against his jumper. He sighed and turned in her arms, kissing the top of her head and pulling her tight against him. They had agreed on a plan going forward. They would meet at Draco’s safe house once a month, at the waning of the moon, for one night. One night a month to exchange intelligence. 

‘Being apart from you is going to be the hardest part of this whole war,’ Draco agreed. ‘I just wish there was an easier way to communicate than with the coins.’ 

Hermione nodded. ‘And without Theo and Blaise effectively listening in,’ she agreed. 

Behind them the kettle started whistling as it boiled, and Draco gently pulled away from her to make the tea. When the cups were filled and the eggs and toast were plated up, Draco levitated them over to the table where Hermione was already sitting. She was absent-mindedly twirling a strand of hair around her finger, gazing blindly out of the window. 

‘Knut for your thoughts?’ he asked as he sat in the chair opposite her. Her eyes cleared and she focused on him. 

‘Hmm? Oh, nothing. I mean, not nothing, but let’s eat first. Then I have an idea.’ 

Draco didn’t push her. Instead his heart filled with warmth as she devoured the food he’d placed in front of her. It didn’t take a genius to realise she hadn’t been eating well while being on the run, and he wanted make sure she was as well-fed as possible before she had to leave him again. 

When they’d finished eating and their teacups were empty, Hermione jumped to her feet and took Draco’s hand in her own.

‘Come on,’ Hermione said, leading him outside the house but still within the wards. ‘I’m going to teach you how to cast a Patronus.’

‘Granger,’ he moaned, but he followed her regardless. By this point he was so head over heels in love with her that she could probably lead him into a wall of Fiendfyre itself and he’d follow her unquestioningly. ‘I already told you -’

‘Yes, yes,’ she cut him off impatiently as they came to a stop. ‘Can’t cast one, given up already, blah blah blah.’

He arched an eyebrow at her outburst and she fixed him with a look that decidedly said _don’t mess with me_. He sighed and crossed his arms.

‘What’s your grand plan then, Granger?’

‘You’re an Occlumens,’ she said simply.

‘I am aware of that,’ he responded drily.

She stepped up close to him, so that her nose was close to his lips. He resisted the urge to kiss it, knowing that she would scowl at him for interrupting whatever lecture was about to happen. She placed her hands on his arms and gently drew them down, taking his wand from its holster and handing it to him.

‘Close your eyes,’ she murmured, and he obeyed instantly.

It was a mild day, and for a moment he just stood enjoying the pleasant breeze, the feel of the weak sunlight on his skin, the faint scent of jasmine that always seemed to follow Hermione around. For a brief moment – too brief, in his opinion – her lips brushed against his.

‘I want you to use your Occlumency to box away all of those bad thoughts and feelings,’ she murmured. ‘All of the darkness and fear. Lock it all away in your mind.’

It was easier said than done, and she seemed to know it. She reached up and brushed the frown away from his forehead before he even realised he’d furrowed his brow. ‘You can let it out again afterwards. If you need it, you can have it back.’

Draco focused. All of those lingering feelings that had become a part of him, he tried his best to lock them away. It was hard, and it must have taken a long time. It felt odd, having his mind free of the tendrils of terror that drilled deep into him. Finally, he let out a shaky breath, and nodded.

Hermione’s breath ghosted across his face and she brushed a kiss to his cheek.

‘Good,’ she whispered. ‘Now, when you do dark magic, you channel it here.’ He felt her hand splayed across his solar plexus. ‘This is where the rage sits, the anger. This is where the Unforgivables come from.’

Draco flinched slightly but nodded. He knew this. Her hand moved up, trailing over his body, until it rested on his chest.

‘This is where you cast a Patronus from,’ she said, tapping him. ‘Your heart.’

Draco took another deep breath, understanding what she wanted him to do. He started gathering any good thought he could muster, any happy feeling within him.

‘That’s it,’ she whispered. ‘Think of your mother being safe, and how much she loves you. Your two best friends are with you, ready to fight a war by your side. The feel of the sunshine on your skin. Sitting by the fire reading a book.’

As she spoke, the images she said came thick and fast, filling his mind and the chasm in his chest. Her lips reached up to his ear, and he knew she would be standing on her tiptoes to reach up, her body taut and lean as she did. His hands twitched, wanting to touch her, but he remained focused. Until her teeth snagged on his earlobe before whispering even closer.

‘Think about how good you feel when you’re buried inside me.’

 _Fuck_. Draco groaned helplessly.

‘Granger,’ he hissed through gritted teeth. ‘You want me to try and cast a Patronus while I imagine fucking you?’

He could only imagine the sass in her smile.

‘Whatever works.’

And he _could_ feel it working. His chest was full of a swelling feeling, of something bigger than him. The thought of her hands and lips on him, of her giving herself to him as openly as he did to her, that stirred his magic. He focused on it, harnessed it, and slowly raised his wand.

‘ _Expecto Patronum_.’ It was almost a whisper, a prayer of a spell. Draco felt a rush of warmth. He felt Hermione shift and move slightly away from him.

‘Draco…’ she breathed, and he could hear the smile in her voice.

Slowly he opened his eyes. In front of him, a silvery animal, excitedly running around them. He let out a breath of amazement before a frown settled on his face once more as he took in his Patronus, the long body, the whiskery face.

‘A ferret?’ he said with a good-natured groan. Merlin, he was never going to live that down, was he?

He looked at Hermione, expecting her to be laughing at him, but she kept her eyes on his Patronus. She had a funny, faraway look on her face.

‘It’s not a ferret,’ she said, and her voice sounded weird. ‘It’s an otter.’

Draco looked back again, and realised she was right. It was an otter, sleek and happy, that frolicked around them. What did an otter have to do with him? He supposed a Patronus could be an abstract thing; it didn’t have to _mean_ anything. Even if it did seem oddly familiar.

Before he could open his mouth to make a comment, Hermione had raised her own wand hand. Closing her eyes, harnessing the power of her new wand, he could see her gathering her thoughts and her focus as she channelled her magic into her own spell.

‘ _Expecto Patronum_.’

He watched as a silvery streak shot out of her own wand. It materialised on the ground, and her Patronus stood up on two hind legs as it sniffed the air. Draco felt his heart flutter and his legs go weak.

‘Hermione…’ he breathed.

She reached out with her other hand and took his, and together they watched as the two silver otters sniffed at each other, bat their heads together in a friendly greeting, and then started to play together as if they’d always known each other.

LATER THAT EVENING, Draco stood next to Hermione, grasping her hand like he’d never let it go. Theo gave Hermione a warm smile and faced them, taking their forearms in his hands.

‘Ready?’ Theo asked, and when they both nodded he Apparated them away from the safe house, away from the wards, and into the darkness.

It took three jumps to reach the one before Wales, all done under Disillusionment and a number of other charms to keep them undetected. Theo leaned in to give Hermione a bear hug, kissing her forehead before letting her go.

‘Keep safe, princess,’ he said. ‘And I’ll see you again at the end.’ With that he moved away, turning his back on them and looking out over the hills as he gave them what privacy he could.

Hermione turned to Draco, and he could see the conflict in her brown eyes.

‘Hey,’ he murmured, brushing her cheek with his knuckles. ‘Hermione, it’s going to be okay.’

She lowered her eyes and shook her head.

‘You don’t know that, Draco,’ she said. ‘We don’t know how any of this will end.’

They stood in silence, the wind whipping around them, and when Hermione shivered and pulled her robe closer around her, Draco stepped in and hugged her.

‘Maybe we don’t,’ he admitted. ‘But at least now I have something bigger to fight for. Because I’m going to do whatever I can to get back to you, Hermione. And to make a world where you’re not in danger because of who you were born. And if I die before that happens?’

Draco pulled back and gently took her chin in his hand, forcing her to look into his eyes.

‘Better I die tomorrow than live for another century without having had you in my arms.’

Hermione’s eyes sparkled with unshed tears and she reached out and gripped the wool of his jumper in her fingers.

‘Draco,’ she breathed. ‘You won’t die. You can’t die. I love you too much for that to happen.’

‘I love you too, Hermione.’

Draco leaned in and kissed her one last time, her mouth sweet and yielding against his, her hands holding him close. Slowly they broke apart, and Hermione looked blindly out to the distance, to where Theo still stood with his back to him, hands deep in his pockets and shoulders hunched against the wind as he waited.

‘Look after each other. I’ll send my Patronus when I’m back with the Order,’ she promised.

Draco nodded, not trusting the lump in his throat to speak out loud, and Hermione kissed him once more.

She backed slowly away from him until only their fingertips still touched, and then reluctantly they broke apart completely. With a sad smile Hermione raised her wand, spun elegantly and was gone.

Draco stood blindly watching the spot where she had disappeared, until Theo’s hand dropped on his shoulder.

‘Come on, mate,’ Theo said, his voice gentle and kind. ‘Let’s go home.’


	11. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ‘Glad you’re safe, princess,’ Theo said, his voice raised over the screams of battle around them.
> 
> ‘You too, Theo. Draco? Is he here?’ Hermione asked.
> 
> Theo nodded but his attention was pulled to something behind her. Hermione turned and saw Blaise fighting two Death Eaters at once, his face pulled into a snarl as he threw hexes in their direction. Theo released her and raised his wand again. 
> 
> ‘Draco was out in the courtyard!’ he yelled to Hermione as he ran off towards Blaise, a red stunning spell already leaving his wand.  
> Hermione turned blindly and ran towards the big wooden doors to the Great Hall, pulling a Protego around her as she did.

Hermione flung her wand arm out and cast a silent _Petrificus_ , letting the frozen Death Eater fall to the floor as curses and hexes flew over their heads. Spells hit Death Eaters, students, and the stones of the castle itself.

Over to her left she could see the flash of Ron’s red hair as he fought back to back with Dean, and to her right Luna’s long blonde hair danced down her back as she battled alongside Neville.

Hermione dodged another hex, throwing up a _Protego_ , and as she spun back around she almost stumbled as she caught sight of a shock of dark hair and a flash of familiar blue eyes. His eyes locked on hers and for a moment he faltered.

‘Theo!’ she made to move towards him, to cross the few short steps across the hall, but his eyes suddenly hardened and he raised his wand in her direction.

Hermione gasped but he jabbed forward before she could raise a shield. Instead she instinctively closed her eyes, waiting to be struck. A heartbeat passed with nothing, and when she opened her eyes again a Death Eater collapsed behind her, close enough to touch her. When she looked up Theo was in front of her and had pulled her into his arms.

‘Glad you’re safe, princess,’ he said, his voice raised over the screams of battle around them.

‘You too, Theo. Draco? Is he here?’ she asked.

Theo nodded but his attention was pulled to something behind her. Hermione turned and saw Blaise fighting two Death Eaters at once, his face pulled into a snarl as he threw hexes in their direction. Theo released her and raised his wand again.

‘Draco was out in the courtyard!’ he yelled to Hermione as he ran off towards Blaise, a red stunning spell already leaving his wand.

Hermione turned blindly and ran towards the big wooden doors to the Great Hall, pulling a _Protego_ around her as she did.

She should have known they would’ve shown up for the battle. They were in twice as much danger as anyone else, all three of them. Most of the Order and the students would assume they were on Voldemort’s side, whereas the Death Eaters would know they had all defected by now.

Spilling out into the courtyard, Hermione gripped her wand tighter as she looked around at the carnage before her. Bodies littered the floor, students and Death Eaters alike. A few pairs of enemies still carried on duelling, and Hermione darted around them, looking for the familiar bright blond hair.

She finally spotted him, tucked away in one of the corners, under the awning. His wand was held out in front of him and trained on a writhing, dark-cloaked figure on the floor at his feet.

‘Draco,’ Hermione breathed in horror, her heart beating uncomfortably fast, as she slowly approached him.

Draco half turned towards her, and she saw his eyes flicker with relief and affection. He dropped his wand hand and grabbed her towards him, kissing her feverishly. She melted into him, glad for the brief respite, until a loud bang behind them from a falling gargoyle made her jump back, her wand raised.

Draco turned back to the huddled Death Eater, and when Hermione looked down at him her heart fluttered in her chest once more.

Antonin Dolohov was sprawled on the cold stone floor, his eyes glazed and his breathing shallow.

‘Oh, Draco,’ she said, her fingers reaching for his. He let her take his hand, squeezing it firmly. ‘What have you done?’

‘Only a touch of torture,’ he said mildly, twirling his wand between the fingers of his other hand.

Dolohov managed to scowl from the ground as Draco lifted his wand and aimed at his face.

‘Looks like our fun is over, Dolohov,’ he said with a snarl, and then Draco spat out the Killing Curse and a flash of green light shot from his wand, hitting Dolohov in the face. The Death Eater fell back, his eyes blank.

‘Gods, Draco,’ Hermione murmured, taking a step back. He gripped her hand tighter, turning to face her. His face was conflicted, pained and protective.

‘I promised you, Hermione. Two people.’ He brushed back a strand of her hair that had come loose and kissed her again, his lips soft against hers.

IN THE END, Draco didn’t need to kill again. Bellatrix Lestrange fell to Molly Weasley’s wand, and then finally – _finally_ – Voldemort died at Harry’s hand, once and for all.

It was a sombre quiet that fell over the Great Hall in the aftermath. Dusty, broken, exhausted, students and professors were helping one another, comforting one another, patching up injuries and passing out cups of tea.

Hermione hadn’t let go of Draco’s hand since they’d been reunited, and she had no plans to release him now. Holding him tightly she dragged him over to where Theo and Blaise sat with their arms wrapped around each other, Professor Sprout fussing around them. When they caught sight of her and Draco they jumped to their feet, and the four of them embraced each other, no words needed.

Eventually they broke apart, and Blaise nodded to someone behind Hermione and Draco. They turned together, and found Harry, Ginny and Ron watching them from across the hall. Draco moved slightly closer to her, and she leaned into him gratefully.

‘Ready to face the real danger?’ Draco said it with a forced air of lightness, but Hermione could hear the undercurrent of worry in his voice. She squeezed his hand to give him what comfort she could.

‘Might as well get it over with,’ she agreed.

Together they walked over to Hermione’s best friends, all watching them silently with straight faces. They stood before them, hand in hand, and Hermione shrugged apologetically.

‘So…’ she started.

Harry stepped forward, looking from Draco to Hermione with his serious green eyes.

‘So…’ he responded, crossing his arms across his chest. Behind him Ginny and Ron stood shoulder to shoulder.

‘Look, Potter,’ Draco drawled, clearly about to jump to Hermione’s defence, but before he finished his sentence Harry punched him lightly in the chest and threw his arms around Hermione with a grin.

‘About time, really,’ Harry muttered, and Hermione laughed in relief. She looked over his shoulder to Ron, who gave her an awkward smile.

‘Life’s too short to not be with who makes you happy, ‘Mione,’ he said, running his hand through his hair.

Hermione felt her eyes fill with tears, and when she held out her hand over Harry’s shoulder, Ron smiled weakly and joined them.

They finally pulled apart again, Harry and Ron wandering back to Ginny, and then they moved off towards where Neville and Luna were sat next to each other on a bench, Seamus and Dean and Aberforth drinking tea together nearby.

Harry turned back to Hermione, tucked into Draco’s side with his arm around her, and Theo and Blaise, who were clutching each other’s hands by their side.

‘Well, don’t just stand there,’ Harry said with a grin and a cock of his head. ‘Come on.’

Theo and Blaise smiled at each other and followed Harry, and Draco pulled Hermione back before she could walk off, holding her tight in his arms. His grey eyes watched her, and one hand curled around the back of her neck.

‘No more hiding behind the wards of the safe house,’ he said gently.

‘No more hiding from anyone,’ she agreed.

Draco kissed her, deep and sweet, and for the first time since learning how to raise them, Hermione fully let her Occlumency walls down.

‘We have the rest of our lives to love each other,’ Draco murmured, dropping a kiss on her cheek. ‘And I intend to remind you every day from now on just how much I love you, Hermione.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe we've reached the end! Thank you so much for reading along and for all the kudos, comments and encouragement along the way. I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I've enjoyed writing it, and I hope to be back with a new fic soon! <3


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